Knock, Knock! Robot Here!

Apr 09 2018
OIG Blog Category: Ideas Worth Exploring 6 Comments

Imagine receiving a text on your phone saying, “The robot has just arrived with your delivery.” Thanks to on-demand delivery services like Postmates and Deliv, which are making robotic deliveries of food and convenience items in San Francisco and D.C., meeting a package bearing robot at your front door could become routine.

The prospect of delivery-by-robot excites postal operators because of its opportunity to offer customers fast, convenient, and secure delivery. Operators such as Swiss Post, Omniva (in Estonia), and Australia Post are finding that delivery robots can help them make re-delivery attempts as well as direct deliveries from stores at much more convenient times for customers, such as in the evenings. Of particular interest are autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that could follow carriers, assisting in delivery and potentially lowering risk of injury. 

AMRs also have a long and successful history within plants, warehouses, and fulfillment centers. And the U.S. Postal Service has a long history of testing different types of robots to move mail within facilities and reduce work hours. In fact, USPS plans to deploy AMRs in 25 sorting centers this year. 

Our recent white paper and an accompanying survey support the idea that the Postal Service could also consider testing not only heavy-duty AMRs such as forklifts and tuggers, but also newer, smaller robots that are more nimble and sophisticated. This could help automate more processes, speed up the rate of processing, and reduce the amount of space needed to process mail. 

Although use of robots for fully autonomous delivery is still too economically and technologically immature, AMRS have the overall potential to increase efficiency and allow the Postal Service to offer new delivery services. It would be worthwhile for USPS to continue testing new types of AMRs for sorting and, eventually, delivery.

What do you think? Does it surprise you to hear that the Postal Service has been testing mobile robots in sorting centers for decades? Would you accept, or even prefer, delivery by robot to your door?

Comments (6)

  • anon

    Online store files by selling various types of research files, projects and research papers and articles in all sections of the student. Also, by subscribing to the site’s newsletter, you can download articles and researches and PowerPoint presentations in about 20 educational files for free in your email.

    Oct 04, 2018
  • anon

    In the future, robots will have a great role in human life

    Jul 22, 2018
  • anon

    Robots would certainly do a better job than the dismal (at best), dishonest (par for the course) service your human employees provide. Why have you allowed the Mendell Carrier Annex employees to get away with stealing people's mail, including tax refund checks?

    Apr 13, 2018
  • anon

    I prefer the robotic movement.

    Apr 10, 2018
  • anon

    I would be very happy. Most street names here are just numbers. I live on 102nd PL, but there is a 102nd Lane and a 102nd ave. Put just a couple of days ago I got a package from Amazon Prime, so I opened it only to discover it was for the house across the street from me. With the address scan the robot would get all of it to the right house.

    Apr 09, 2018
  • anon

    I think it is a great idea to have these robots...I need stamps and I am without a car so it would be very convenient to see these robots carrying stamps but on the other hand they would have to carry money as well....maybe a small amount....who knows? What can’t we do these days!

    Apr 09, 2018

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