Technology trends transforming the logistics industry

Appification

In our personal lives, we have an app for everything. This is increasingly becoming the case for our business life. In logistics transport, for instance, drivers are using more and more apps for the digital handling of shipments. A good example is the eCMR, the digital version of the consignment notes which are mandatory for cross-border transport. As more and more countries ratify the eCMR protocol, the use of apps that make it possible to handle international shipments completely digitally is growing. That means no more hassle with awkward decrypting or paper waybills that often do not return to the office for days or sometimes weeks later. The requirement to use these types of app is a major reason for the adoption of mobile computing devices in the cabs of haulage vehicles. There are many additional benefits. For example, more and more apps are coming to market to support drivers on the road. Think of apps for:

• Monitoring the temperature in the cargo space.
• Booking secure parking spaces.
• Photographing and recording damaged goods.
• Registering at container terminals or ferries.
• Operating intelligent traffic navigation systems.

A pioneer in the adoption of mobile computing devices and apps in this area is logistics service provider Raben. It has 4,000 TOUGHBOOK mobile computing devices that combine the tasks of a tablet, phone and barcode reader. They are equipped with software for transport navigation, vehicle management and they provide access to the Raben document archive. The devices have also been adapted to the requirements of government agencies, such as customs in various countries. In Poland, for example, the devices are equipped with the SENT GEO app for online monitoring of excisable goods.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are already widely used in gaming. With VR, an existing environment is virtually imitated, so that people are able to move in that virtual environment without having to enter the existing environment. With AR, images of the environment are enriched with additional information, such as instructions on the direction in which people should move. Mixed reality consists of a combination of both technologies.

VR and AR are also increasingly used in warehouses. Think of VR forklift simulators for training forklift truck drivers. By adapting the VR environment to the warehouse in which the driver works, it is possible to simulate realistic and dangerous situations for training purposes. AR is already used in a number of warehouses for order picking. For this purpose, the order pickers wear 'smart glasses' that project picking instructions such as the picking location and the number of articles into the order picker's field of vision.

AR is can be particularly useful in warehouses that carry out value-added activities, such as repairing, overhauling, testing or calibrating high-tech equipment. Think of projecting work instructions into the employee's field of vision, where the AR solution indicates which part needs to be removed or installed and in which way. By adding game elements to processes such as order picking (gamification), it not only adds to the employee experience but increases productivity in an intuitive way.