Automated Distribution Systems

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by Nathan Cravens

Free is Cheaper.

Global & National

Robotic Delivery Vehicles (RDVs and MicroRDVs)
The Edison four passenger vehicle hybrid gets 350 miles per gallon. Solar panels would help it do more. Making the vehicles link-up in transit will keep vehicles in motion without refueling. The Quadcar method uses two vehicles to pull two idle vehicles until mid fuel to switch roles, keeping vehicles recharged by the wheels of idle vehicles. Example: A laptop factory in Silicon Valley prepares to ship computers from the factory to the end user. The MicroRDV takes the computer placed in a waterproof hard plastic reusable shipping container, and drives itself to the RDV (our converted four passenger vehicle) to stack itself atop other MicroRDVs for a journey to Texas. 12 RDVs are sent loaded with MicroRDVs, they link up for most of the journey, unless the road becomes congested or less predictable. 4 each go to Dallas, Austin, and Houston: one vehicle for each corner of each city. MicroRDVs then disperse to homes and return to the mother ship. The RDVs then return to the factory in Silicon Valley.

Local

Basky. General Purpose Robot & Local Delivery Platform
This is a Segway type platform with hands able to do basic household chores and repairs and local delivery. It uses bins to easily retrieve and identify items for use. The kitchen will have its own bins for cooking and cleaning; the living room for cleaning furniture; and so on. The bins are held on hooks connected to the spine of the robot. Hooks can move up or down. Bin tops are used as work surfaces for tasks like chopping vegetables or repairing a broken coffee mug.

Basky will help revitalize local economies by providing free delivery of organic farm produce like dairy, meat, and vegetables. This could work as Community Supported Agriculture. Whatever funds needed for the initial phase is crowdsourced via a Kickstarter or equivalent method. Food will be free and healthier!

Personal

Open Source Ecology @ Home
This is an easy to maintain food and energy self-sufficiency kit where food is grown aquaponically and energy comes from solar panels, wind turbines, and biodiesel from algae. Marcin Jakubowski et al. and Andrew Shindyapen and friends are potential candidates for this project. Andrew et al. is developing the AutoMicroFarm aquaponic system.

Becoming more often faced with failing markets, its vital we are able to care for ourselves in a more self-sufficient way. If at least a large spare room or garage, it can be done.