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Back in 1987, at my first job at Hewlett-Packard, they had a little robot that would deliver mail. This was their plant in Loveland, CO, I believe it was the f
by linsomniac 7y ago
Back in 1987, at my first job at Hewlett-Packard, they had a little robot that would deliver mail. This was their plant in Loveland, CO, I believe it was the first non-California site HP opened.
Along the main hallways there was some sort of retroreflective tape laid down, and the robot, which looked like and equipment cart, would follow that tape. At every stop it would sound a chime and the secretary for that section would come out and retrieve a bundle of mail and distribute it to their people.
Super simple implementation, but it worked quite well for what it did.
- pbhjpbhj 7y agoIIRC the movie Space Camp (80s?) features a mail-robot, perhaps the kid hides in it?
- mrbgty 7y agoFlight of the Navigator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4v-dMfzp3E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4v-dMfzp3E
- pbhjpbhj 7y agoAh, thanks, I didn't think it was quite right.
- ceejayoz 7y agoThere's one in the show The Americans, as well.
- freeflight 7y agoWith the Soviets putting a recording device into the one driving through the FBI's office. Such an odd thing that it might as well have happened, sadly I never managed to find any real history behind it.
- alistairSH 7y agoMy wife's office (NFCU HQ) still has one of these. It feels so very 1970s and nostalgic.
- gvb 7y agoThat was the Lear Siegler -> Bell & Howell -> Litton -> Dematic Mailmobile. It followed a fluorescent path using a blacklight sensor to guide it. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mailmobiles-mail-robots-technology-retirement https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mailmobiles-mail-robot...
- PopeDotNinja 7y agoA robot like this was a central plot device in The Americans, too. https://youtu.be/XEQ5mCMO1a8 https://youtu.be/XEQ5mCMO1a8
- michaelbuckbee 7y agoSimilar systems are used in hospitals for delivering pharmaceuticals from the main pharmacy to floors.
- c0vfefe 7y agoWhat kind of security measures do they afford, to prevent targeting by addicts?
- michaelbuckbee 7y agoThey’re more or less mobile ATMs rolling through a hospital. Also, the security is in large part from reducing the overall number of people with any access.
- Jun8 7y agoYour comment brought back a memory: My wife was interning at Eli Lilly in their HQ in Indy in the summer of 1999 and they had an office mail robot that fits the exact description you gave. I think it followed markings on the floor. Zero computer vision, when it came your way you'd better watch out, it nearly squished me against a wall while I was watching it.