A fleet of robots has begun wandering the sidewalks between Ballston and Rosslyn, searching for any defects to report back to the county’s Department of Environmental Services.
The bots, which went live at the start of this month, use a combination of laser scanners, mobile mapping, AI and machine learning to look for defects like cracks, weeds or gaps of at least half an inch.
Owned by the company Kiwibot, the robots are surveying around 45 miles of linear sidewalk, primarily focused around Wilson Blvd, Clarendon Blvd and Fairfax Drive. They come with screens featuring an electronic face.
“They also look quite dapper with their official County/department logo and color scheme,” county spokesperson Peter Golkin said. “And what humanoid can resist those animated eyes, which even turn into hearts and winks?”
The county is conducting a 20-day pilot to decide whether to use the technology in its next countywide sidewalk assessment, which will likely happen in 2028.
The 2024 sidewalk assessment used mobile mapping and AI but failed to pick up sidewalk issues in high-density areas, Golkin said. These new robots are equipped with laser scanners, a potential key addition for the 2028 assessment if the results of this test are deemed accurate.
“The robots are equipped with the DeepWalk automated inspection technology that uses LiDAR scanners to analyze the sidewalks.,” Golkin said. “Kiwibot/Robot.com, the robot owners, will use the pilot’s results to optimize and enhance future survey work in other cities.”
D.C. recently used similar technology in Navy Yard, Golkin said. Ultimately, the goal is to streamline “the regular human assessment process.”
If residents see the robots on the street, Golkin encouraged them to say hello.
“We’re not naming them like the snowplows, but traditional waves and other friendly, non-contact greetings are welcome when the robots are spotted around town,” he said.
Photos via Arlington DES/Flickr
