Colorado Springs, CO – The director of accessibility services at Pikes Peak State College, Moises Hinojosa, announced the rollout of a new indoor‑GPS smartphone application called GoodMaps. The app went live at the start of the fall semester and is intended to make it easier for students to locate classrooms across the college’s four campuses.
Hinojosa, who oversees accessibility for the college’s 12,000‑student body, first encountered the technology at a conference last fall. He saw a presentation on an indoor‑GPS system used in major airports and museums and wondered if the same concept could help students navigate the complex interior spaces of a college campus.
GoodMaps uses the phone’s camera to determine a user’s precise location inside a building and then provides step‑by‑step directions. The app offers both audio and visual cues, allows users to select routes that avoid stairs, and supports more than 25 languages, a feature that benefits the many students for whom English is a second language.
The application is free to download and, according to a college release, usage data is compiled weekly. Hinojosa said the college will begin reviewing those statistics later this week to gauge adoption rates. While the college has not disclosed exact numbers yet, the technology has already been adopted by other institutions, including Michigan State University, which serves over 51,000 students.
Students who have tried the app report that it reduces the stress of the first few weeks of class, when finding the right building and room can be especially challenging. The ability to receive real‑time guidance, especially for those with mobility concerns, aligns with the college’s broader commitment to accessibility and student success.
How GoodMaps works
GoodMaps relies on visual markers placed throughout campus buildings. When a user points their phone camera at these markers, the app triangulates the device’s position and overlays a navigation path on the screen. Users can follow spoken directions or watch a visual route line, making the tool useful for both sighted and visually impaired students.
Community response
Local educators and parents have praised the initiative as a practical example of technology serving the community’s educational needs. The college’s decision to adopt a free, multilingual solution reflects a growing trend among higher‑education institutions to leverage technology for inclusion and efficiency.
GoodMaps is available for both iOS and Android devices. The college encourages all students, faculty and staff to download the app and provide feedback, which will help refine the system for future semesters.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
