Why Hilton Head is using robots to survey the town’s paths and sidewalks

Robots are coming to Hilton Head Island.

Starting July 6, small Daxbot robots that look like Star Wars droids will begin cruising on wheels around the island’s pathways and sidewalks, the town said in a Tuesday post to its social media channels.

The robots will collect “highly accurate accessibility data” as part of the town’s American with Disabilities Act Self-Assessment, so Hilton Head can develop a plan to make getting around more accessible.

Work on the project began in mid-June, according to the announcement.

What the Daxbots robots will do

The Daxbots are three feet tall and two feet wide, equipped with treads and a white outer shell. They also have a top, head-like section that can rotate, with circular lights that look like eyes.

They have a max cruising speed of four miles per hour, according to the manufacturer’s website, and the company also builds a security model of the robot, although the town does not mention a potential security use in its announcement.

The robots will measure and collect data from town-owned and town operated facilities on slopes, cross-slopes, clearances, pavement conditions, intersection markings, pedestrian signaling devices and more factors related to pedestrian accessibility across the Island.

“This effort will help us gain a thorough understanding of accessibility throughout our programs, services, public buildings, facilities and parks, exterior amenities, and paths of travel while providing a clear, prioritized roadmap for identifying and removing barriers,” Angie Stone, Assistant Town Manager for Community Engagement and the Town’s ADA Coordinator, said in the announcement. “The feedback we’ve received from residents and visitors has already provided valuable insight, and we look forward to building upon that foundation.”

What Hilton Head will do with the data

The town is working with accessibility consulting firm, Bureau Veritas, which will collect more data through on-site inspections and human powered work, including Hilton Head’s pedestrian pathway network, crosswalks, curb ramps and other related infrastructure.

After the data are gathered, the town will develop a prioritized ADA transition plan to identify accessibility barriers, establish development priorities, provide actionable recommendations and strategies issues and align the recommendations with the town’s Capital Improvements Program.

Bureau Veritas is expected to present these findings at a public meeting either later this year or early next year.