Sewer Robot Frees Up Streets

The Urban Mole is a proposed package delivery robot that uses existing sewer tunnels to deliver packages underground, taking delivery trucks off of the streets.

1 minute read

July 31, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

"Able to move parcels as large as a shoebox, the Mole fully encapsulates its contents from surrounding waste water. In other words, the phrase "duty free shipping" will take on a whole new meaning.

The Urban Mole placed second in the VisionWorks contest, a logistics competition sponsored by Bayer MaterialScience (yes, they spell it one word like that) that asked participants to envision transportation solutions for 2020. The Urban Mole came in second to a building that grows food on its walls. Yeah, that's cool, but it's no undergound robot."

FULL STORY: Robot Design Delivers Packages Through Sewers

Thursday, July 30, 2009 in Wired

Infrastructure Technology Transportation World Sewers Delivery Trucks Robots View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.