Postal Service's Futuristic Vision for the Internet of Things

The US Postal Service is betting a new device will soon enter hi-tech homes, alongside the self-adjusting thermostats, text-enabled washing machines, and fridges notifying owners when groceries run out: the smart mailbox. It's the future of mail delivery, according to USPS’ Office of the Inspector General: a mailbox, equipped with tiny sensors that can collect data on mail delivery and pick up time, or outside temperature. The owners might control the box's internal temperature and locking mechanism through a smartphone app. The smart mailbox is just one element of the Postal Service's larger vision for the Internet of Things, a term for a connected network of devices and sensors.

In a report about that vision -- dubbed the "Internet of Postal Things" -- the Inspector General's Office, in collaboration with IBM, paints a picture of post office systems that auto-fill paperwork for customers as they walk in, delivery vehicles that monitor themselves for maintenance, and sensors that notify package recipients upon delivery, among other scenarios. The IG's office recommended the Postal Service "start experimenting with Internet of Things technologies" to modernize its business, "as well as develop new business models to stay relevant in the digital age.” A more advanced technological infrastructure could prepare the agency for same-day delivery and real-time rerouting for packages, options which "have the potential to grow in importance as consumers continue to buy more items online," the report said. For instance, sensors in a smart mailbox could scan a barcode or read an RFID tag on a letter, which could confirm delivery and replace the hand scan and delivery signature process, the report said. If the mailbox were temperature controlled, employees could deliver groceries or temperature-sensitive medicine. These new mailboxes could also make the agency money. "If 5 percent of the 117 U.S. million households rented such a box for $3 a month, the product would generate $210 million a year in revenue," the report said.