StockVoice: a hands-free, eyes-free voice synthesis and recognition system integrated with the StockSystem® Evolution WMS., Voice, Integrated Technologies, Solutions
Replica Sistemi is among the first European partners of Vocollect™, a worldwide leader in voice recognition for industrial and warehouse applications.
Since 2003, it has been implementing solutions based on voice synthesis and recognition using Vocollect Voice® products.
Today, Replica Sistemi is a Vocollect Total Solution Provider and its specialists are able to deliver innovative logistics solutions through the implementation of StockVoice, a module for the management of voice-synthesis and recognition technology that is perfectly integratable with StockSystem® Evolution.
StockVoice can be integrated with either the warehouse departmental software of directly with the customer's management (ERP) software for the organization of picking, stocking and picking replenishment.
StockVoice provides an immediate return on investment (ROI) by increasing productivity and reducing errors.
Comparison table between the Voice system and paper and hand-held and vehicle-mounted systems:
If the system being used is...
Paper
RF hand-held/vehicle-mounted terminals
Error reduction
60-85%
30-60%
Productivity*
+ 25-30%
+ 10-50%
Operator training
Times cut in half
Reduced 80-90%
Tradeoffs
*Varies by category and picking method
Lack of visibility in real-time: stocks, personnel, etc.
Data-entry errors
Labor and materials costs for managing paper (lists and/or labels)
Processes NOT hands and eyes-free
Training requires two weeks, on average
The operator is distracted: Data entry, reading the display, scanning barcodes
Safety problems
Not ergonomic
Processes NOT hands and eyes-free
Life of the batteries
StockVoiceuses voice technology to manage warehouse logistics processes; the software uses voice terminals to communicate directly with the management system.
The warehouse operators, equipped with Vocollect Talkman® terminals with headsets and microphones, work quickly and safety withhands and eyes free, using a light device that clips on their belts.
StockVoice is suited to any industrial environment, supports a multilingual platform and is independent of the language (or dialect inflection and pronunciation) that the operator uses to speak. This system, called Voice Dependent, guarantees a high-quality of voice recognition and can be used in noisy environments.
The system uses voice recognition to transform the data received from, and sent to, the server, into simple, effective commands. The operator is, thus, assisted in the performance of all those logistics processes that require: fast execution, accuracy and timely availability of information.
In practice, the operators receive voice commands from the computer and send back/confirm the information by voice. Errors are avoided thanks to a cross-checking system that provides greater flexibility, speed and efficiency in the preparation of orders and hands and eyes-free productivity and precision.
Warehouse activities, especially picking,are enormously faster (25-50%) with a drastic reduction of errors.
The insertion time for new operators is extremely reduced thanks to the simplicity of the dialogues.
Hardware Voice
The hardware consists of a headset and microphone connected to a battery-powered radio transmitter that transfers data/voice between the operator and StockVoice.
The radio technology used conforms to the 802.11b standard and, for this reason, the radio-frequency coverage is the same used for hand-held or vehicle-mounted terminals; this allows customers to adopt a mixed (terminal and voice) system.
Talkman® portable computers are subjected to a rigorous series of tests to be sure that they will perform reliably in dirty, noisy and cold environments (they work down to -40°).
StockVoice advantages
Hands-free productivity
Accuracy Eyes-free
Reliability
Efficiency
Safety - Ergonomics
Possibility of performing several activities at the same time:
- handling products
- communicating
- reducing wasted time
- eliminating final checks
Doing the right thing on the first attempt.
Correcting errors while they are being committed:
- picking quantity errors
- wrong product
- wrong exit point
Voice Dependent
- guarantees a high level of voice-recognition quality
Download StockVoice
