Hunter Moranville

After observing the Santa Monica Farmers Market and talking to multiple visitors, we found that the market was perceived as overwhelming. Many of our users were surprised at how fast paced this market was compared to other markets. The market is a mix of commercial purchases with your average market goer purchase. These competing demographics create an out of sync market flow, resulting in slow groups of people, large carts and wagons blocking paths, and an onslaught of market goers walking with no particular direction. We found that this creates an unsafe environment for someone who has a mobility impairment. To solve the challenge of safely and comfortably navigating the market with a mobility impairment, we created Routed, an AR navigational assistant that highlights accessible pathways.

How might we empower mobility-impaired visitors to engage with the Downtown Santa Monica Farmers Market more comfortably, while maintaining the authenticity of the farmers market experience?

During our user interviews, we found that many market goers felt the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market was overwhelming and fast paced. There were carts blocking pathways, people were rushing through the market, and users felt that they had to constantly be aware of their surroundings. For someone with a mobility impairment, this environment becomes a source of fear for their safety.

We designed an AR navigational assistant that guides you to the product or vendor using the safest pathways available. Our app allows the user to search for products in the market and follow a step-by-step guide to reach that product. Along the way it informs the user of important waypoints, vendor sales and specials, and easy to navigate pathways away from the overwhelming obstacles of the market.