“Inspiration comes at unique moments—just ask CU Denver Civil Engineering Professor Caroline Clevenger, PhD.  

During a sabbatical in 2023, Clevenger noticed colleagues at the Center for Inclusive Design Engineering (CIDE) were talking about the challenges people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face while navigating the insides of buildings. Most, they found, rely on caregivers to help them find a doctor’s office suite or shop in stores. “I remember thinking, there are probably ways we can work together to help them be more independent,” Clevenger said. 

Within months, Clevenger recruited her CU Denver colleague, Assistant Professor Bing Han, PhD, who specializes in using augmented and virtual reality in building environments. Together, they created the PinPoint app to help users easily navigate indoor spaces. The app uses augmented reality (AR) on a phone or tablet to overlay visual cues on the surrounding environment. The AR generates an arrow that shows direction and distance to guide individuals using the app toward defined target destinations inside a building. “

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Written by Zenaida Kotala Gonzalez, University Communications