Alexander Johnson

A robot wagon to aid the retired and the physical disabled carry goods for up to 2 miles within Mid-City Santa Monica.

There is substantial infrastructure in Mid-City Santa Monica for people to get to their destination without the need for a car. However, there is not enough for people who do not just need to get from point A to B, but also need assistance with carrying items from light shopping trips or other activities. People who could benefit from this assistance were found to be of retirement age or physical disabled. We were interested with how we might make the "first/last mile" experience more engaging and spontaneous for Mid-City, Santa Monica locals, so that they can drive less and walk more? The First and Last mile is where someone would have to walk one mile to the train or bus stop, and walk a mile from the closest stop to their destination.

It was found that 40% (Universal Basic Mobility, concluded April 2024) of people in Santa Monica live in a non-car household and regularly walk or take public transportation to their destinations. 13.9% (US Census Bureau, 2023) of residents walk, bike, or take public transportation to work. Mobility devices currently available, such as electric scooters and bikes, are targeted more to able-bodied people and those familiar and trusting of technology. However, these mobility devices are not of much help to those of retirement age, physically disabled, or those distrusting of technology. With amenities about a 15-minute walk away in Mid-City and households not having a car, people who could use assistance getting to and from their destination are left with paying for rideshare services like Uber or Lyft, or staying at home.

A robot wagon, Casey, is to aid people carry their things for up to two-miles within Mid-City Santa Monica, California. To interact and reserve Casey, a web app was chosen over a native app so the service could be accessible immediately. Having a native app would require people to spend time downloading the app and setting it up. However, a web app would mean reserving a Casey would be faster and more inclusive to individuals of varying tech literacy levels; those who do not know how to download an app or do not want to download it. Reserving a Casey is meant to be spontaneous, so upon viewing the web app users are able to have a Casey meet them within 5 minutes of reserving.