Augmented Reality
Unbeknown to most, Augmented Reality (AR) debuted in 1968 when Ivan Sutherland developed the first head-mounted display system that generated simple computer wireframe drawings to showcase to users.
Since then, AR has evolved through the decades alongside technological advancements.
AR layers virtual elements onto the real world by blending digital components and real-world imagery, which can then be experienced through a smartphone or other AR-enabled devices like Google Glass. Its market growth is forecasted to hit US$120 billion (€104 billion) by the year 2020. While its popularity gains momentum, AR has demonstrated abilities to revolutionize businesses across many sectors — including marketing, medicine, education, and logistics.
Upon completing its global AR pilots successfully in 2018, DHL announced the expansion of its Vision Picking solution — a new standard in order picking for the industry. With the smart glasses, DHL provides employees with visual displays of picking instructions, including the location of items and exact placement on a cart. This solution improves productivity by 15 percent as well as achieve higher accuracy.
In another aspect of logistics, it is also hoped that AR could speed up international freight handling. For example, an AR recognition system would be able to instantly determine if a shipment complies with relevant trade regulations, or provide instant translations for any documents.
Download this trend report to explore more on the implications and use cases of AR in logistics.
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