A robot that bridges the gap b

A robot that bridges the gap between paper mail and e-mail.

My idea is about a robot that can be controlled remotely (via the internet) which can perform the task of opening envelopes dropped in a letter box, scanning their content and sending the images to an e-mail address.

Many people who are away from their apartments receive letters in either a special letter-box, each for every apartment, in the entrance of their apartment house or through an opening in the door of their apartment. Now, some may wish to have immediate knowledge of the arrival of any mail and, also, may wish to be able to open each envelope and read its contents.

Just seeing the envelopes and where they are from might be solved with the help of a wireless IP camera in combination with some artificial source of light that can be activated remotely when needed. Opening the envelops is an entirely different thing. One needs a mechanism that can pick up each individual envelope, cut it open, take its contents out and either scan them (both sides) or, somehow, make them visible to a wireless IP camera.

One can construct two versions, one as a stand alone letter-box or one that is attached behind the door slot (opening) of the apartment.