Audrey Rothermel Bascom Professor of Design Studies Kevin Ponto and a team of fellow researchers have received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to continue developing a new tool that uses augmented reality to help older adults and people with disabilities remain safely in their homes.
As people live longer and healthier lives, the number of older adults in the U.S. is growing quickly. It’s estimated that, within the next decade, one out of every three households in America will be headed by someone 65 or older. But most homes are not set up to allow them to safely age in place, and determining what changes can help usually requires expensive and complex home assessments.
Ponto and his team’s tool aims to make home assessments more efficient, accurate and affordable. Their research explores the combination of 3D sensing, augmented reality and machine learning so that someone can automatically assess their living space as they move around in it. It will also compare the advantages of using augmented reality with a mobile device versus head-mounted display systems.
“We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to continue our research in supporting aging in place,” Ponto says. “This grant will enable us to utilize cutting-edge technologies to empower individuals and communities to implement safety changes and increased accessibility, fostering greater independence and healthy living.”
Ponto is principal investigator on the project. Jung-hye Shin, chair and professor of human centered design at Cornell University, and Beth Fields, UW–Madison associate professor of kinesiology, are co-principal investigators. Shin was formerly the department chair and a professor of Design Studies at the UW–Madison School of Human Ecology.
For more information, read this story from spring 2025 about the project.