Texans may have become quite familiar with robots roaming sidewalks and streets. Waymos are causing traffic jams, and androids wearing cowboy hats have gone viral in Austin. But a new kind of rolling robot designed to help the community has been deployed in Tyler, about 100 miles east of Dallas.
White robots wearing fluorescent construction vests have caught the eye of both local and visiting Texans. It turns out the City of Tyler has deployed these little helpers to patrol the sidewalks in town to help officials meet their accessibility goals.
“Residents may see Daxbot robots operating in busier public areas during daylight hours throughout the project,” Tyler officials said in a public statement. “The robots are designed for shared public environments. They prioritize human safety and are designed to yield to people.”
The bots are scanning public sidewalks to help city staff identify accessibility issues as officials prioritize Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. A massive project includes plans to assess more than 2,200 intersections and driveways, 150 intersections with traffic lights, 90 miles of sidewalks and 4.5 miles of trails.
The robots working to make Tyler sidewalks more accessible has clearly become a local favorite. (Courtesy of City of Tyler)
That’s a lot of surface area to cover. These electronic partners, stemming from a working relationship between Tyler and Kimley-Horn, are helping ease the workload by scanning for barriers to access on public sidewalks.
“Ensuring ADA compliance is essential to securing the grants that help us build trails, expand transportation options, improve public safety, and upgrade parks,” Tyler’s Assistant City Manager Heather Nick said. “This project ensures we remain eligible while also doing what’s right for our community.”
While the robots are hard at work making Tyler a more inclusive city, they’re also making a name for themselves across the Lone Star State. Even Lytle Police Chief Richard Priest brought word of the rolling robots back to his town in shock and awe.
“One strange thing I saw last week in Tyler was a darn R2-D2-like robot. I didn’t even believe my eyes; this thing had on a traffic vest and was cruising up the sidewalk on a main drag,” Priest wrote to residents in Lytle, about 24 miles southeast of San Antonio. “I guess the ‘city of roses’ might start being called the ‘city of robots.'”
This article originally published at ‘R2-D2-like’ robots roaming Texas city turn heads. What to know.