The City of Irvine has begun deploying sidewalk-assessment robots as part of a citywide accessibility review under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project, carried out by Bureau Veritas in partnership with robotics company Daxbot, will evaluate more than 9,000 curb ramps and about 950 miles of sidewalks.
Bureau Veritas is integrating the data collected by Daxbot with assessments of buildings and other facilities to inform Irvine’s accessibility transition plan. According to the firm, the information will help city staff identify compliance issues and prioritize upgrades.
The Daxbot units are equipped with GPS and sensors that record millimeter-level measurements of sidewalk features, including width, slope, surface condition, and curb-ramp geometry. Using real-time kinematic positioning, the robots can document locations within a margin of two to five centimeters.
The units will begin operating in southern Irvine in late August and continue northward. Their movements are monitored remotely, with technicians available to provide field support if necessary. City officials have asked residents not to interfere with the robots, which move at walking speed and yield to pedestrians.
