Ila Kumar, a graduate student in the Affective Computing group, and Tarathorn Boonngamanong, a student at Drexel University, designed an app that uses augmented reality to make public transit in Philadelphia more accessible for people with disabilities.

The project won first place and the Audience Choice Award in the SEPTA for All: Augmenting Transit with Augmented Reality competition, which culminated with a Demo Day on November 17, 2021. Four teams presented their ideas for improving the experience of transit for people with disabilities; the judging panel had intended to award a first and second prize, but the panel chose two teams for first place and gave both the chance to test out their solutions in partnership with SEPTA.

The challenge was administered by ​​SmartCityPHL, Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS), and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).