Voice-Picking System

Voice picking systems can be an affective tool in busy warehouses looking to free-up their workers hands and allow them to work more efficiently and effectively. Voice technology uses voice recognition software and speech synthesis to allow workers to communicate directly with a Warehouse Management System. Using a wireless, wearable computer coupled with a headset and microphone peripherals, warehouse workers are able to receive instructions and verbally confirm their actions back to the host system.

While the most common application for Voice data collection technology is order picking, this technology can also be utilized for receiving, put-away, inventory management, and shipping.

• What equipment do you need?
• What advantages does a Voice System provide?
• Will the system recognize different dialects & accents?
• Will a voice-picking system work in a noisy environment?

What equipment do you need?

Most companies utilize wrist or hip wearable computers such as the WT4000 from Symbol Technologies, or the HX2 from LXE. These rugged devices are able to be used with headsets and microphones to complete a voice-picking system. As instructions are relayed to the worker via the headset, workers can confirm they received the instructions and completed the action via the microphone. This information is then processed by the wearable computer and transmitted back to the host system using a wireless network.

• Symbol WT4000
  
• LXE HX2

What advantages does a Voice System provide?

Voice systems free up workers hands eliminating the need for them to carry a portable data collection device and holster it after each use. When you add a ring-scanner to voice system, workers also gain the ability to scan barcodes to ensure the correct item is being processed each time. Otherwise workers simply say the last several digits of the barcode to verify the correct item is being picked; workers do not have to read the entire barcode to the system.

Will the system recognize different dialects & accents?

More robust systems are "speaker dependent" where workers actually train with the system for about five minutes so the system can become accustom to the way they annunciate certain words. Training the system in this fashion allows for greater accuracy especially when different accents, dialects, and even languages are spoken.

Will a voice-picking system work in a noisy environment?

So long as you use devices that are specifically designed for the nosier warehouse environments a voice-picking system will operate in even the most noisiest warehouses.

Related Topics:

• Is your WLAN ready for voice?
• Warehouse Management Systems
• Symbol WT4000
  
• LXE HX2
• Push-to-Talk Technology

Contact Barcoding Inc. for more information on voice-picking technology.