With a robot she calls “a mean radiant temperature cart,” ASU urban climatologist Ariane Middel is gathering data that can be used to develop “thermal comfort maps.” The robot and the maps can help calculate routes that provide the most shade for those seeking refuge from Arizona’s searing summer sun. The system could also be adapted to aid architects and planners in designing structures and spaces to provide more shade. Middel is an assistant professor in the Fulton Schools and the School of Arts, Media and Engineering, and an affiliate faculty member with the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. Read more.