Postal Detector Vans

Steve Lawson writes on the Hellmail.com website, "Michael Ravnitzky, chief counsel to the chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission (US) puts forward a novel suggestion for maximising the use of postal delivery vehicles - by converting them into environmental data gathering machines."

Steve pens, "...he proposes that mobile sensors mounted on postal trucks could collect and aggregate a variety of important data as a byproduct of postal delivery, taking advantage of efficiencies of scope and scale. The data collected might include, among others, air pollution levels, weather data, sensing of chemical and biological agents, and areas of weak cell phone service. If the market challenges could be addressed, these services could provide substantial public good."

According to Steve, "The idea would appear to have some real merit and for that reason I'm filing it alongside David Criswell's concept of putting solar panels on the moon to meet the worlds energy demands. Now and again someone comes up with a neat idea like this and one that might just take off. Oh, and just in case someone in the neighbourhood is intent on producing their own chemical weapon or bomb, with all the right gear on board, your postie could be the first to know...."

To read the entire article, click here.

For more on Mr. Ravnitzky's idea, click here.