Vinod Namboodiri, joint faculty member of Lehigh University’s College of Health and P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, has been awarded Phase 2 funding from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Convergence Accelerator to further develop a digital app to help persons with disabilities navigate indoor environments successfully.
MABLE: Mapping for Accessibility in BuiLt Environments provides persons with disabilities independence to experience large events, conferences and educational programs. Using crowdsensing, AI and robotics, MABLE empowers individuals with responsive maps and turn-by-turn instructions through a digital app to help them navigate indoor environments successfully.
Key users include those with visual or mobility impairments, such as people with low vision and wheelchair users, as well as other persons with planning and navigation assistance needs.
“The premise of the challenge that I’ve been trying to solve is ‘How do you make it easier for everyone?’” said Namboodiri. “Not necessarily those who know the building well, but anyone in unfamiliar environments. Even those without disabilities often struggle.”
Namboodiri’s team was one of the 16 teams that participated in Phase 1 of the NSF’s Convergence Accelerator, Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. At the end of Phase 1, the teams participated in a formal pitch and proposal evaluation. In December 2023, the NSF selected MABLE and five other projects to move forward in Phase 2, investing $30 million across all projects with up to $5 million in funding for each project.