'Daxbot' robots helping Whittier gather sidewalk data, improve accessibility
'Daxbot' robots helping gather sidewalk data
The "Daxbot" robots can be seen patrolling around Whittier lately. They're not just fun to interact with, these "Dax" robots are doing important work to make the city safer.
WHITTIER, Calif. - Robots that go by "Dax" can be seen patrolling around Whittier lately.
They're not just fun to interact with. These robots are doing important work to make the city safer. The robots are collecting sidewalk data.
Walking or driving along the streets of Whittier, you may have spotted one of these robots, but do you know what they're for?
"I came up to it, I wanted to see what it was. I was going to scan it too, but that's really cool," one person told FOX 11 on Tuesday.
"I think it's great, and they're cute too," one woman said.
While some of Whittier's sidewalks are smooth, other areas are a little uneven and uplifted.
That's where the Daxbot robots come into play. The city says these robots move at walking speed down pedestrian paths, taking measurements and keeping human crews out of traffic.
In a video posted on social media, Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri says the city has over 400 miles of sidewalks that they want to ensure are safe for everyone.
The city says that at any time, up to six robots are in operation, evaluating sidewalk conditions and helping the city prioritize areas that need fixing and improvements.
"To see if there's any cracks and stuff, which is really good because there's a big old tree," a woman said.
The City of Whittier says the robots are semi-autonomous and remotely piloted by a human operator.
But it's not just Whittier deploying Dax to measure ADA compliance.
The City of Irvine announced last August that it was deploying these robots to inspect curb ramps and sidewalks on public streets.
The City of Whittier says the robots are not replacing any city jobs. City officials say the effort began in late February and is anticipated to be completed by the end of April.