InnovatorsBox Celebrates MABLE’s Advancement into Phase 2 of the NSF Convergence Accelerator and Continues its Partnership for Disability Inclusive Innovations

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, USA, January 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- MABLE (Mapping for Accessible Build Environment), led by Vinod Namboodiri at Lehigh University, is one of the six teams selected to advance from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the NSF Convergence Accelerator Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. InnovatorsBox^®, a founding partner of MABLE, expresses its delight in continuing this impactful collaboration to advance innovative solutions that enhance the quality of life for persons with disabilities.

MABLE envisions making large indoor environments accessible for people with disabilities to enable participation in large events, conferences, and educational programs. By utilizing crowdsourcing, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, MABLE can populate and create a real-time responsive map that users can use to navigate indoor environments. In Phase 1, MABLE confirmed the urgency and significance of creating a responsive map that could provide turn-by-turn instructions for users to help them navigate indoor environments successfully.

The NSF Convergence Accelerator’s Track H started in December 2022 with sixteen teams. They were selected to build a diverse team and an innovative proof of concept for their solutions to enhance opportunities for persons with disabilities. With an estimated 1.3 billion or 1 in 6 people globally experiencing significant disability, the goal of track H is to develop innovative solutions to enhance the quality of life and employment access for people with disabilities.

The success of MABLE is grounded in the commitment of its diverse interdisciplinary experts to enhance the quality of life and workplace experiences for persons with disabilities. The core team members include Dr. Vinod Namboodiri (Lehigh University), Dr. Nils Hakansson (Wichita State University), Dr. Ted Conway (Florida Atlantic University), Dr. Patricio A. Vela (Georgia Tech University), Dr. Siny Joseph (Kansas State University), Monica H. Kang (Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox^®), and Nionila Ivanova (Founder & CEO of IT Creative Labs). MABLE is also possible thanks to its strategic partners in corporations, museums, nonprofits, and community leaders dedicated to fulfilling an equitable workplace experience together.

Monica H. Kang, Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox^®, expressed enthusiasm for the team's milestone and its continued collaboration for an important cause, “Partnering with MABLE in the past few years has taught us how much societal education and awareness on disabilities is lacking. Winning the Phase 2 grant for MABLE is a recognition of the hard work the team has done in 2022-2023 and how important it is to resolve indoor navigation accessibility. The next three years fulfilling MABLE’s innovation will be daunting and exciting, and we are honored to be part of this journey with the team.”

MABLE Lead Investigator Dr. Namboodiri shares his excitement, “MABLE is the solution I and so many people with disabilities need for a long time. I’m grateful for NSF’s recognition of our work and the partners and team I work with to make this vision come true. We look forward to working with diverse partners more closely in the next few years as we enter Phase 2 to build an accessible, innovative solution for all to navigate indoors more effectively and easily.”

InnovatorsBox^® will support managing MABLE’s strategic industry partnerships and community outreach efforts and looks forward to connecting with more organizations, researchers, and leaders who want to collaborate and partner with MABLE. To connect with MABLE and InnovatorsBox and collaborate to advance this vision, contact hello@mablemaps.com and info@innovatorsbox.com.

About InnovatorsBox^®:

InnovatorsBox^®, founded by Monica H. Kang, is dedicated to making creativity and leadership accessible for all. The global leadership firm specializes in research-based and interactive programs to empower corporations, professionals, educators, students, and entrepreneurs to unlock creative thinking and thrive in today’s complex workplaces. InnovatorsBox^® offers coaching, workshops, speaking, team building, and creative resources that help people rethink creativity, leadership, and innovation to help them grow and thrive.

About MABLE:

Led by Lehigh University, Mapping for Accessibility in Environments (MABLE) empowers individuals with disabilities to experience large events, conferences, and educational programs independently. Utilizing crowdsensing, AI, and robotics, MABLE provides a responsive map and turn-by-turn instructions through a digital app, facilitating seamless navigation in indoor environments.

Monica H. Kang
InnovatorsBox
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