Universal City, Texas, Deploys Daxbot Robots to Check Sidewalk Access

Standing just under 3 feet tall, the bots have an on-board sensor array that measure the width of sidewalks, running and cross slopes, curb-ramp geometries and surface conditions. According to a report from sister station News 4 San Antonio, city employees are surveying approximately 12 miles of sidewalks, and lists five sections as potentially coming under survey at Universal City Boulevard, Kitty Hawk Road, and Old Cimarron Trail.  
 
Data collected by the robots will be used in a map format to help engineers prioritize sidewalk improvements citywide, officials said; city officials also state the robots would yield nothing if a passerby came near. 

The rollout has drawn curiosity from residents, some of whom have stopped to photograph the machines and have become neighborhood celebrities, with residents regularly stopping them for photos. 

Daxbot says the robots are "people-centric autonomous robots" and are both for sidewalk assessment and private security. They have recently conducted similar ADA surveys for numerous Texas cities, and for cities in both California and Maine, as well as Burleson, Tyler and Midland.  

The company claims its sidewalk robot models are centimeter-accurate through both laser sensors and RTK positioning, while in some municipalities the robots may have a guide assist in street crossings.