Jan/Feb 2004

Nisa-Today's, the big retail and wholesale buying group, says it has improved warehouse productivity by 10 per cent since introducing a voice-activated picking system from VoiteQ in a warehouse operated by Exel. The company says it is also now achieving a pick accuracy rate of 99.8 per cent.

Warehouse-based voice recognition systems usually involve a system that links a local-area wireless network to voice headsets worn by the pickers, passing information between them and the host computer in real time, and interpreting instructions so that there is nothing to read or write, and decision-making is quicker and easier.

According to Stephen Hunter, managing director of logistics at Nisa-Today's: "The introduction of voice recognition technology has enabled us to find the next layer of efficiency in our supply chain. and enhance the working environment for our warehouse staff."

VoiteQ technology enables warehouse operatives to communicate with the Warehouse management system via headsets and a terminal attached to their belts. The terminals communicate with the host computer through a wireless radio frequency network, receiving pick lists and updating individual picking tasks through voice recognition.

 

The system is installed at Nisa's dual-temperature depot in Stoke-on-Trent, which Exel runs.