Deck the halls with Webex calls: How Cisco technology brings holiday cheer to hospitals

Some Christmas tales begin with a sleigh. This one begins with a display screen. 

For 17 years, Cisco’s Linked Santa program has been delivering vacation magic to youngsters in hospitals throughout the U.Ok. and Eire. Powered by Webex expertise, a powerful web connection, and a few sneaky elves (who simply so occur to be Cisco workers), every year Santa nearly visits hospitalized youngsters who’re unable to spend their holidays at residence. 

Linked Santa has reached hundreds of kids around the world because the program’s starting, with Linked Santa outposts cropping up in the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, South Africa, and past. This vacation season, this system reached over 300 youngsters throughout 15 hospitals within the U.Ok. and Eire. 

Joanne Bugg, Cisco EMEA Associate Enablement Chief, started volunteering for Linked Santa 13 years in the past and leads the program within the U.Ok. 

“This is my favourite time of the 12 months – and the most effective examples of utilizing our expertise for good,” shared Joanne. “There’s nothing like seeing these youngsters’s faces mild up by means of the Webex display screen. Because of Cisco, we’re in a position to give them a second of festive cheer throughout such a troublesome time.” 

Behind the vacation magic  

What may look like a easy digital Santa go to is definitely a extremely coordinated effort throughout dozens of Cisco volunteers and tons of of miles.  

The work begins in October, when Joanne places out a name to Cisco Account Managers within the healthcare house, asking if their hospital can be involved in a Linked Santa go to. The hospitals – all Cisco prospects – then join their IT employees with Cisco volunteers, who assist check web connections, set up Webex gadgets in playrooms, and fine-tune lighting and audio. 

“We’ll have conversations like, ‘Oh, are you able to hear the jingle bells ringing over there?’” stated Joanne. “If the reply is ‘no,’ our Cisco Resolution Engineers can assist troubleshoot. That is a kind of instances after we really wish to change off our glorious Webex noise cancellation!” 

Then the magic begins. On the day of Santa’s virtual go to, youngsters head to the playroom with hospital employees and onsite Cisco volunteers, dressed, after all, as elves. On the best way, the elves collect particulars just like the youngster’s identify, age, and Christmas want, and ship that info by way of Webex chat to Santa’s grotto – a room at Cisco’s Bedfont Lakes workplace. 

Contained in the grotto, a rotating forged of Santas and volunteer elves stand – effectively, sit – on the prepared. Geared up with a Netex machine, a second display screen powered by the grotto elves with every youngster’s customized particulars, and a Christmas backdrop (full with a Santa chair, tree, and fireside), a little little bit of film magic helps deliver the expertise to life.

By the point every youngster seems on the Webex display screen, Santa magically is aware of all the small print for a customized digital dialog. “How’s your canine, Toby?” “I heard you’re on the Good record, Mia!” “Just a little elf informed me you’re hoping for a LEGO set!” 

For youngsters who could also be unable to maneuver from their rooms, volunteers are able to take their Webex expertise on the street. With an iPad and trolley, Santa makes bedside digital visits, with an in-person elf handing out items.  

AI within the North Pole  

In fact, AI is reworking each a part of our expertise and world – and the North Pole is not any exception.   

This 12 months, Sebastian Hughes, an Engineering Technical Chief and longtime Linked Santa volunteer, noticed an opportunity to optimize the expertise for youngsters within the hospital. 

Generally there have been sudden hiccups – or, let’s name them blizzards – in the course of the calls, making it troublesome for Santa to at all times have a customized dialog. What occurs if two youngsters entered the room collectively? Or if a baby skipped the road? Or if the grotto elf didn’t have time to maneuver particulars from the Webex chat to the display screen that Santa was studying? 

With the assistance of AI, Sebastian designed a template that permits a extra seamless switch of data from Webex chat to Santa’s display screen. Now, elves can shortly synthesize particulars, order youngsters who could be ready within the queue, and even ship secret messages to Santa. (The most typical, in keeping with Joanne? “Maintain going Santa – we have extra children ready!”) 

Connection Throughout Distance and Distinction

Whereas this annual effort is powered by expertise, the true present is human connection. 

This 12 months, throughout the U.Ok. and Eire, 95 Cisco volunteers donned elf hats, delivered greater than 1,000 items, and used Time2Give volunteer hours to deliver vacation cheer to youngsters spending their Christmas in a hospital. 

And whereas the Webex name gives the portal, it’s the Cisco volunteers — elves wearing inexperienced and pink — who energy the connection. 

One go to in specific stays with Joanne. Stationed subsequent to Santa in his grotto, she noticed a baby in a wheelchair come on to the display screen.  

“The kid was non-verbal and had restricted mobility, however I might see her simply clutching onto the hand of Mrs. Claus, a Cisco volunteer,” stated Joanne. “And when Santa stated her identify by means of the display screen, you may simply see her whole face mild up.” 

For Joanne, that’s the magic of Linked Santa – and the magic of Cisco.