Date of Award

6-3-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Santa Clara : Santa Clara University, 2026

Departments

Computer Engineering; Computer Science and Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Maria Kyrarini

Second Advisor

Andrew Wolfe

Third Advisor

Sthanu Mahadev

Abstract

With aging populations and the increased rate of disability diagnosis in the United States, the economy has taken on an elevated toll, as fewer are able to work, including caretakers. Give the rise in unpaid time put in by the average caretaker, it is necessary to determine ways of reducing this burden, for the caretaker and also for elderly and disabled people. Individuals who service dogs for their daily lives face substantial financial and personal responsibilities, on top of their own medical and living costs. This project proposed a wheeled quadrupedal robotic service dog, designed primarily for mobility assistance. In this first year of a multi-year design project, the electromechanical design was completed, with materials and parts purchased and prototyping begun; the sensing and basic controls framework were developed, utilizing VSLAM to construct a hybrid differential-drive and legged motion system, of a robot intended to serve as a cheaper and more reliable alternative to a live service dog.

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