As in many other sectors of the economy, the use of artificial intelligence has become an integral part of logistics. This is particularly true for applications and tasks in the warehouse. Regardless of whether the aim is to optimize processes, increase efficiency, reduce the workload of employees or cut costs. The focus is almost always and exclusively on the question of which AI services, which far exceed human capacities in terms of computing power in particular, have enabled processes and tasks to be optimized.

Solutions for tasks that could not be solved before

"However, one potential of AI that has been little or not at all discussed to date is the collaboration between artificial intelligence and conventional image processing. By combining the best of both worlds, solutions can be found for tasks in logistics that were previously impossible to solve," says Stefan Zweigler, founder and CEO of Invisium.

Thanks to the fully automated operation, warehouse employees can concentrate fully on their actual activities and are not impaired in their work steps. This is achieved, among other things, by the fact that neither manual interaction nor maintenance work is associated with the use of the solution, meaning that all manual process interruptions due to precisely defined stops or stock transfer processes are simply eliminated. This also makes the installation of complex conveyor technology, which was often necessary with conventional systems, obsolete.

Another advantage: the solution generates data in real time for the first time during transit for tasks and processes in which companies previously had to rely almost blindly on everything being correct - that transport documents are correct and that all load carriers that leave the warehouse will return at some point. By scanning, the VisionPort creates a basis for digitizing these tasks and processes, giving companies greater transparency and control.

Precision and flexibility

The man-sized system is implemented in the form of a door frame directly behind a warehouse door, through which drivers or warehouse employees transport load carriers on an industrial truck. And this is precisely where the combination of artificial intelligence and conventional image processing comes in. After all, a key challenge for any system for detecting reusable load carriers is the question of whether it will leave established logistics processes untouched, for example at goods inwards and outwards.

"The processes in the warehouse are characterized by a high level of dynamism; the aim is to complete tasks quickly in order to save time and resources and cut costs. A system that requires employees to pause for long periods of time to scan load carriers or only approach the system at a certain angle is not attractive or economically viable. At the same time, the time factor must not be at the expense of the accuracy of the scan. Otherwise, there is a risk of inaccurate stock figures and, in the worst case scenario, employees will have to recount manually," explains Stefan Zweigler.