Touchless Gesture Confirmation for Pick-and-Put Fulfillment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing order picking systems in distribution centers suffer from decreased throughput due to operator fatigue and wear from repetitive physical interaction with confirmation buttons, leading to increased operation times and reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A touchless confirmation system utilizing sensors to recognize gestures and movements, eliminating the need for physical button presses, and integrating with a workflow control system to confirm operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical confirmation buttons are used for order fulfillment operations, then operators can confirm completed operations, but operator fatigue increases and throughput decreases due to repetitive physical interaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation reliabilityVSAvoidthroughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing system with an optical sensing system. Instead of requiring physical contact with a button, operators perform hand gestures (wave, palm, fist) that are detected by optical sensors. This substitution eliminates repetitive mechanical interactions, reducing operator fatigue while maintaining reliable operation confirmation and potentially increasing throughput by reducing confirmation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If physical confirmation buttons are used repeatedly, then operations can be confirmed, but component wear increases and system lifespan decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation functionalityVSAvoidconfirmation device lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the mechanical button component entirely by using optical sensors to detect hand gestures. This replacement removes the source of wear and tear, extending the lifespan of the confirmation system while maintaining the ability to reliably confirm operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If physical confirmation buttons are used in food handling areas, then operations can be confirmed, but contamination risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation capabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the physical button with a touchless optical sensing system that detects hand gestures without physical contact. This eliminates the risk of contamination from touched surfaces in food handling areas while maintaining reliable operation confirmation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If operators press confirmation buttons hundreds of times daily, then operations are confirmed, but button fatigue increases and operation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation confirmation accuracyVSAvoidoperation completion time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the time-consuming physical button-pressing action with faster hand gesture movements detected by optical sensors. This substitution reduces the time required for confirmation while maintaining accurate operation confirmation, thereby reducing overall operation completion time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Enhances productivity and reduces operator fatigue and system wear by allowing gesture-based confirmation, thereby increasing throughput and maintaining system integrity in environments requiring hygiene or cleanliness.

Implementation Method 1

The touchless confirmation sensor may be an optical sensor, a photo sensor, a radar sensor, a proximity sensor, a time of flight sensor, an infrared sensor, or the like

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical sensor detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS12387169B2Touchless confirmation for pick and put system and method

Publication Date: 2025.08.12 DEMATIC CORP

AI summary

A confirmation system including a touchless sensor and method for confirming that an order fulfilment operation has been performed. The system includes at least one touchless sensor to sense or recognize a gesture given by an operator, wherein the gesture confirms that a desired operation has been performed. The touchless sensor is connected to a workflow control system configured to transmit order fulfilment information to and from the touchless sensor. The touchless sensor is configurable to recognize a plurality of gestures, and may be configured to recognize those gestures at a plurality of distances away from the touchless sensor. The touchless system is configurable to provide alerts to operators to indicate locations requiring action. The confirmation system may be provided with a cubby or bin order fulfilment system. Additional features include placement or retrieval sensors, cubby illumination lights, pick-to and put-to lights, and information scanners.