Pickup Pad Verification Using Weight and Shape Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Items at pickup locations are often disorganized, leading to customers touching or breathing on others' items, increasing disease spread and straining computer systems with incorrect orders and re-orders.
Innovation Solution
A computerized system with weight and shape sensors on pads to verify correct items, notify customers, and ensure accurate pickup, reducing the need for item search and minimizing incorrect orders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If items are placed together at pickup locations without organization, then the pickup location can handle many items, but customers need to search and touch multiple items to find their orders, increasing disease spread risk
Solution Approach 1:
The pickup location is segmented into multiple designated pickup spots, with each spot assigned to a specific order or customer. This segmentation allows items to be placed together in high quantity while preventing customers from touching items not designated for them, as each customer only needs to access their assigned spot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (designated pickup spots with visual indicators and order verification) between the items and customers. This intermediary guides customers to the correct items without requiring them to search through or touch other customers' items, thereby preventing disease spread while handling many items.
2Quantity of substance
If items are placed together at pickup locations without organization, then the pickup location can handle many items, but customers cannot verify they picked up the correct order, increasing incorrect pickups
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pickup area into designated spots for each order, the system enables customers to verify they are at the correct location for their order. Each spot can be associated with specific order identifiers, allowing customers to confirm they picked up the right items without confusion, even when many items are present.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to customers through visual indicators (such as lights or displays) that confirm when they are at the correct pickup spot and when items have been successfully picked up. This feedback mechanism ensures customers can verify they received the correct order, reducing incorrect pickups.
3Ease of operation
If customers search through items to find their orders, then they can locate their items, but this searching process requires touching and examining multiple items, worsening sanitation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Items are pre-positioned at designated pickup spots before customers arrive. This preliminary action of organizing items by order at specific locations eliminates the need for customers to search through items, as they can directly go to their assigned spot and retrieve their items without touching other items, thus maintaining sanitation.
4Device complexity
If there is no verification system, then the pickup process is simple, but the computer system must handle re-orders and complaints, increasing computer system strain
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements verification feedback that confirms to customers when they have successfully picked up their correct order. This verification prevents incorrect pickups and the subsequent re-orders or complaints that would strain the computer system, thereby improving overall system productivity despite adding some complexity to the pickup process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves sanitation by reducing item contact and minimizes incorrect pickups, thereby decreasing computer system strain from re-orders and complaints.
Implementation Method 1
The system may include sensors (e.g., weight sensors and shape sensors) that detect certain properties about the items on the pads (e.g., weight and shape)
Implementation Method 2
The system may include sensors (e.g., weight sensors and shape sensors) that detect certain properties about the items on the pads (e.g., weight and shape)
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a system and method for holding or storing items. The system includes a pad, a weight sensor, a shape sensor, a memory, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The weight sensor detects a weight of an item when the item is positioned on the pad. The shape sensor detects a shape of the item when the item is positioned on the pad. The processor verifies that the item is positioned on the pad based on the detected weight and the detected shape and communicates a message that the item is positioned on the pad.