GPS-Based App Helps Visually Impaired Navigate Ohio Campus

After the excitement of going back to college wore off, Patrick Simmons had to confront a reality: Getting around Columbus State Community College’s 88-acre campus wouldn’t be easy.

Simmons, who is blind, couldn’t rely on a standard GPS because it wasn’t precise enough — and totally insufficient inside campus buildings. The 54-year-old also used COTA’s Project Mainstream to get from one side of campus to the other, but he didn’t love it because he felt it took away his independence.