Reflection
As part of an innovation challenge, I developed INARA (Intelligent Navigation & Autonomous Response Agent), an autonomous indoor navigation robot designed to assist people in navigating complex, GPS-denied environments such as university campuses, hospitals, and future space habitats. The project combined reinforcement learning, digital twin simulation, robotics, and computer vision to create a system capable of learning and adapting to dynamic indoor spaces while maintaining safe and reliable navigation. The inspiration for INARA came from a widespread challenge that affects millions of people globally: navigating unfamiliar environments. Missed appointments, accessibility barriers, and confusion in large facilities can create significant personal and economic costs. Through INARA, I explored how emerging technologies could be leveraged to improve accessibility, independence, and efficiency for diverse populations. This experience significantly expanded my understanding of innovation as a tool for social impact. While developing the project, I learned that successful engineering solutions must address more than technical performance, they must also consider usability, accessibility, scalability, and the needs of the people they serve. I gained valuable experience in systems thinking, problem identification, and communicating complex technical concepts to diverse audiences. As a Global Citizen Scholar, this project reinforced my belief that technology should be developed with a broader purpose in mind. INARA demonstrated how engineering can be used to create solutions that improve quality of life and help individuals navigate an increasingly complex world.