Sorting of mails are already automated. Why not go all the way, and automate the delivery of mail to houses as well? Well currently its not easy designing robots that can deal with many different kinds of mail boxes.
Why not require all houses to carry "standardized" mailboxes designed for robotic mail delivery, with QR codes and reflective markings to make it easier for a robotic mail delivery drone to deliver mail.
The mail box unlike normal boxes, have rails to allow for the robots to grab hold of and properly align it's mechanism to the mail slot (And not have to worry about misalignment).
For larger items, a larger mail box can be accommodated. It still has the same robot friendly mail slot, but has a lid that can only be unlocked and opened by a 'mailman' key that the robot has (e.g. 240V electromagnetic solenoid).
This also provides an opportunity for other extra features for this mailbox, e.g. information ports so the mail robot can communicate to the owner about what mail has arrived.
Because we can either design a robot to adapt to the environment (like different mailbox shape and sizes), or we can adapt the environment for the robot.
To make life easier for robots is important for our society, we should adapt everything in our life for the robots. We should submit to robots. All hail robots.-- mofosyne, Jun 08 2014 if rant [M-F-D] no idea if idea [M-F-D] let's all-- Voice, Jun 08 2014 r a n t and against poor helpless automation.-- popbottle, Jun 08 2014 No, not a rant, actually a pretty god idea. [+]-- 8th of 7, Jun 09 2014 I'm sorta with 8th on this one without the whole 'ascribing it to a deity' thing. Good idea parallel to the remote arm picking up standardized rubbish bins.-- AusCan531, Jun 09 2014 Houses aren't standardized. Unless you're going to go with something like a curbside on a post, a lot of stuff matters: the door location, porch or stairs, door opening side, door construction (all glass = not on door), frame construction, side light construction, door position, number of residents/mailboxes, etc.
More realistically, make the robot reasonable flexible, but require that every mail slot have an rfid tag in the same location relative to the slot. That should be enough.
Or, since robots don't work set hours, and drones are as easy as most others, create a phone app that allows on demand delivery to the person in question.-- MechE, Jun 09 2014 No No
Don't want my mailbox to be the same as yours.
I would also prefer to not have robots visiting my home.
I like my dolphin mailbox Unless all of the mailboxes are shaped like dolphins or cats I am not in favor.
What kind of backwards world would this be if grown men and women were not going around placing envelopes and small packages inside of containers shaped like cats or dolphins on purpose to put food on the table?-- vfrackis, Jun 11 2014 I used to deliver mail, and speaking as a non-robot, I'd be in favor of standard boxes. Mail slots are a pain.
Practically, you could have many standard mailbox shapes, as long as the drone can tell which type of one it is approaching. And, with the GPS location and house address, you could attach the approach path to the mailbox, and recognition/navigation landmarks, and box type.
I am bunning for the grab rails to aid in alignment, and suggesting that the boxes could have auto-opening lids. [+]-- baconbrain, Jun 11 2014 Baconbrain - You don't want too many electronics involved in the opening of the mail slot or flap.
You would prefer something more of how those old fangled VCR and floppy disk protect their slot.-- mofosyne, Jun 11 2014 How about the mail is sorted into mailboxes in a big warehouse. Every piece that goes in has a picture taken of it so that residents can log in to their account and see the contents of their mail at any time, electronically. We'll call it "e-mail." Just kidding.
But really, you can log in and schedule a delivery at any time. The mail will be pulled to a truck and delivered like a parcel, perhaps in a big reusable box.-- ShaneSezWhat, Jun 13 2014 random, halfbakery