News Release
January 20, 2023
Wichita State-led research aims to help persons with disabilities navigate buildings
Navigating an unfamiliar building can be discouraging and difficult to persons with
disabilities. A team of Wichita State University researchers is in the early stages
of developing digital maps to help accessibility indoors, where GPS or satellite systems
often don’t work.
In December, the National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator Track awarded
a Wichita State-led team a $750,000 grant to gather information and create digital
maps of indoor spaces that could be used by persons with disabilities.
“A person using a wheelchair often doesn’t know the accessible route,” said Vinod Namboodiri,
professor and associate director for research engagement in the College of Engineering.
“It leads to lesser participation by people with disabilities in employment or maybe
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