MPATH was initially conceived by transportation engineer, Mike Sewell, while on a bike trip across the Netherlands. As an avid bicycle commuter, he quickly realized that the infrastructure, parks, and placemaking he encountered across that country was in stark contrast with what he typically encountered in the US. It seemed like every place was built to be intuitive, enjoyable, and well connected - effectively making travel there a joy. Up to this point, most planners, architects, and engineers tried to estimate the impact of a place or facility, but there was not a quantifiable model based on a user’s actual, emotional response.
He sought out to quantify that experience using a data driven approach. After an early mathematical algorithm was developed based on biometric data that could be obtained from most modern wearables, a platform was created to allow tests across several focused partners. These partnerships helped to hone the platform and approach to a point where now everyone can take advantage of an empathic approach:
Understanding how someone else feels mapping those emotions to place, and then using what we are learning to design better places.
We will be using some of the data we collect to help inform location-based projects through studies. These studies aim to understand how people interact with their surroundings and identify ways to improve the environment. Your participation in these studies is voluntary and you have the right to opt-out at any time. By participating in these studies, you have the ability to help influence the development of better places for everyone. Your data will be kept confidential and will only be used for research purposes. We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and our privacy policy.