Our Mission
and Team
We are putting sidewalks
on the map.
3K
50K
We have a true passion for walkability and accessibility.
We started pathVu in 2014 with a focus on helping people with disabilities. In fact, our co-founder and lead developer both use wheelchairs. We believe that designing for accessibility is universal design, and helps all pedestrians.
We are experts dedicated to making sidewalks more walkable. We have been involved in wheelchair accessibility research for 20 years with experience in mechanical engineering, design, and working with people with disabilities. Our team created PathMeT, a revolutionary surface profiler which measures sidewalk accessibility according to U.S. Access Board standards. Our tools can help property owners improve communities so that all people travel safely.
Our vision is to be the Google maps for accessible pedestrian pathways, sidewalks, and trails. To make them all completely walkable so that all people have full and safe access to every public and private pedestrian path.
pathVu’s mission is to create a more accessible and livable world by improving the walkability of pedestrian pathways for all pedestrians – of any ability.
Our History
HERL Pitt!
pathVu’s expertise in accessibility comes from their research beginnings at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories which led to ASTM roughness standard and route accessibility index and the our engineer grade pathway measurement tool. PathMeT is the only tool capable of measuring the standard and the index used to help prioritize improvements.
The University of Pittsburgh and the Human Engineering Research Laboratories are committed to the advancement of learning and service to society. To continuously improve the mobility and function of people with disabilities through advanced engineering in clinical research and medical rehabilitation. To create a world where all people with disabilities have unencumbered mobility and function so that they can fully participate in and contribute to society.
Eric Sinagra
MS, pathVu co-founder & CEO
Eric graduated in 2014 with an M.S. in Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences after completing his undergraduate degrees in Physics and mathematics from Duquesne University.
Nick Sinagra
MS, pathVu Director of Technology
Nick Sinagra joined pathVu in August of 2017. Nick graduated in 2008 with an M.S. in Media Arts and Technology from Duquesne University after completing his undergraduate degree in Multimedia Arts from Duquesne University.
Jon Pearlman
PhD, pathVu co-founder & chair of the Scientific Advisory Board
Jon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences & Technology at Pitt. He earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley and M.S. in mechanical engineering at Cornell University, and completed his PhD work in Rehabilitation Science and Technology with an emphasis on assistive technology design and transfer to developing countries at the University of Pittsburgh.
Jon Duvall
PhD, pathVu co-founder
Jon is a PhD student in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2010 and a Master’s in Rehabilitation Science and Technology in 2013 from the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a graduate student researcher at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories. His research has focused on developing assistive technologies for people with disabilities. His Master’s thesis consisted of developing a roughness standard for pedestrian pathways to limit harmful vibrations to wheelchair users. Jonathan was also a founding member of the Students for Disability Advocacy at the University of Pittsburgh and served as President from 2012-2015. Jonathan started pathVu to help to promote safe and comfortable sidewalks for wheelchair users and to help wheelchair users to be able to avoid inaccessible and dangerous environments.
Interested in joining our team?
Interested in joining our team?
Let’s ensure open access to cities and neighborhoods for all pedestrians - of any ability.
