From headsets to data glasses: Are pick-by-voice and pick-by-vision useful for the warehouse? (Part 4 /4)

The way we pick goods has changed a lot over the years. New technologies such as pick-by-voice and pick-by-vision promise a revolution in order picking. But is that really the case? To get to the bottom of this question, we brought in expert knowledge from Michael Weiser, Sales Manager at KBS Industrieelektronik GmbH.

What is a pick-by-voice and a pick-by-vision system?
Pick-by-Voice, as the name suggests, allows employees to handle picking orders via voice commands. Instead of looking at paper or a screen, employees hear instructions via a headset and confirm the actions by voice. Pick-by-vision, on the other hand, uses data glasses to display visual information directly in front of the employees' eyes.

While pick-by-voice certainly offers advantages in many applications, pick-by-vision has not yet really caught on in order picking. Why?

1. visibility
A basic requirement for the use of pick-by-light is that employees can actually see the lights directly. This can be a problem in large warehouses with many aisles, some of which are branched, as nobody wants to walk through the aisles looking for something. This is where Pick-by-Voice offers a clear advantage, as the information is provided by voice output regardless of location and the employee can use their "local knowledge" to find their own way to the picking location.

2. access frequency
The investment costs for the hardware of a pick-by-voice or pick-by-vision system are lower than for a pick-by-light system, especially if the frequency of access to individual storage locations is very low - such as in a large spare parts warehouse. Incidentally, the costs for connecting to the customer's warehouse management system are virtually identical.

This is how pick-by-voice works in order picking:
A voice instruction: "Go to shelf 14, compartment no. 5". The employee confirms his arrival at the picking position with a voice command such as "OK" and then receives the information about the picking quantity "Take 3". After confirming the removal with "OK", the employee is informed of the next removal location by voice.

As with Pick-by-Vision, this step-by-step method is more suitable for classic single-order picking and less suitable for highly dynamic picking processes due to its lower speed compared to a Pick-by-Light system.

What about wearing comfort?
Whereas in the past some employees felt impaired by wearing headphones, pick-by-voice systems are now also available without a headset. The microphone and speaker are integrated into a jacket or shoulder strap to better meet the needs of users.

What about dialects and foreign languages?
Pick-by-Light is completely independent of dialects and foreign languages thanks to visual communication. However, when using different colors, employees should be checked in advance for possible color vision deficiencies (e.g. red-green blindness). In the early days of Pick-by-Voice, a "learning phase" was required for each employee in order to familiarize the system with their linguistic characteristics and enable communication. Today, this is generally no longer necessary thanks to the use of AI.

A possible combined solution with Pick-by-Voice
Similar to the interaction of an MDC and Pick-by-Light system, Pick-by-Voice and Pick-by-Light are often successfully combined, for example to make multi-order picking even more efficient. In this case, employee guidance to the picking location and the picking quantities are communicated via Pick-by-Voice, while information on the storage location, such as the compartment in the picking vehicle or consolidation rack, is provided via Pick-by-Light. This interaction increases picking speed and reduces the workload on employees.

Pick-by-vision: potential for the future?
The idea of giving employees smart glasses that display instructions directly in their field of vision sounds both futuristic and promising. But reality shows that this system also has its challenges. People who wear glasses have to take special precautions and the constant display of information can be tiring and exhausting in the long run. For this reason, although there have been a few lighthouse projects for use in warehouses to date, there is no sign of "traditional" picking methods being replaced.

Nevertheless, there are areas of application in which pick-by-vision can play to its strengths: This technology offers real added value, particularly for complex tasks such as remote maintenance or assembly support. The ability to give people instructions directly in front of their eyes during remote maintenance in an enclosure from a different location can considerably simplify troubleshooting and problem solving. This also reduces time-consuming, environmentally unfriendly and expensive on-site visits by service personnel.

Thank you Michael for your answers and insights.

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Stop: Before we forget, in addition to pick-by-voice and pick-by-vision, there is of course also pick-by-robot. This means that you leave the picking at the AutoStore to a robot, such as the eOperator from Element Logic.

The robotic gripper arm allows you to store and retrieve goods fully automatically. The eOperator completes the tasks at top speed. While the robot is picking, the person can take over other tasks. This leads to improved work processes and greater productivity. The perfect division between man and machine! Find out more in the video.

Future Outlook
It is important that we continuously inform and evaluate new technologies in order to optimize our workflows and remain competitive. However, before we decide on a particular system, we should carefully weigh the pros and cons and make sure that it is the best fit for our individual requirements and processes.

With this in mind: Keep your eyes and ears open for innovations and always stay one step ahead in your picking strategy.

Our warehouse management software can help you find the optimum picking strategy for your warehouse. Book your consultation appointment here.

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Did you miss the first, second and third part of our guide series? Here you can find all three:

Pick-by-light/put-to-light system: Faster and error-free order picking despite hectic day-to-day warehouse operations (Part 1/4).

Perfect teamwork: pick-by-light systems and SuPCIS-L8 warehouse management software (Part 2/4)

Pick-by-Light and Put-to-Light systems in practice: Optimizing the picking process. (Part 3/4)