Bowie State Students Develop Technology Project to Aid the Homeless

Can technology be used to connect homeless individuals and families to local shelters? A team of Bowie State University students thinks it’s possible – they have developed an electronic kiosk designed to link people seeking the help of local shelters with up-to-date information about what is available in their community.

They presented an interactive model to the public and members of Congress this week at the Capitol Hill Maker Faire on Thursday and the much larger National Maker Faire on Friday and Saturday. The BSU team will display their project in a showcase for historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) at both events. Bowie State is one of only nine schools invited to the Capitol Hill Maker Faire, which will take place in the Rayburn House Office Building.

The two events celebrate the new movement of invention that is driven by hobbyists and tinkerers. It is hosted by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Congressional Maker Caucus, Maker Media and Nation of Makers. Innovators from across the nation will present their projects that use a range of the latest technologies in computer science and homemade crafts.

The students have spent months researching the needs of communities in Prince George’s County and designing a solution for the homeless population, said Dr. Courtney Lamar, BSU assistant professor of computer science and the project’s leader.

“They have all worked really hard to develop something that is going to positively impact the community using many of the skills and technologies that they use in their coursework,” she said.