Work Facility AR Container Views for Accurate Article Picking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Workers in work facilities face challenges in efficiently placing and removing articles from containers due to difficulty in seeing the inside of the containers, leading to inefficiencies and potential mistakes.
Innovation Solution
A work facility equipped with a container arrangement section, a work area, and a work assist device that includes a display device for augmented reality, an article information acquisition system, and a control system to generate a container transmission image making containers appear transparent, allowing workers to view the contents of containers through an augmented reality image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If containers are arranged in upper levels of the rack to increase storage capacity, then the storage density is improved, but the worker cannot easily see the inside of the containers, leading to reduced work efficiency and increased errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a camera and display device that mediates between the worker and the container contents. The camera captures images of articles inside upper-level containers, and the display device presents these images to the worker, enabling the worker to see container contents without physically accessing them. This intermediary system resolves the contradiction by providing visual access to contents in otherwise inaccessible locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy of the container interior through the camera and display system. Instead of requiring the worker to directly view the physical container contents, the system generates and displays a replica image of the container interior, allowing the worker to identify and select articles without physically opening or accessing the container. This copying approach enables remote viewing of contents in upper-level containers.
2Ease of operation
If workers manually search for articles by feeling inside containers, then they can locate articles without visual access, but the work time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensing method (touching and feeling for articles) with an optical system (camera and display). Instead of workers using their hands to locate articles by tactile feedback, the system uses a camera to capture visual information and a display to present it to the worker. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming manual searching process while maintaining the ability to locate articles accurately.
3Device complexity
If workers perform picking work without visual confirmation of container contents, then they can operate without additional equipment, but the risk of removing incorrect articles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the camera continuously monitors the container contents and the display provides real-time visual information to the worker. This feedback loop allows the worker to verify article types and quantities before picking, ensuring accuracy. The system provides ongoing visual confirmation that feedback the worker's actions against the actual container contents, preventing incorrect article removal.
Data Source
AI summary
A work facility includes a container arrangement section in which a plurality of containers are arrangeable, a work area, and a work assist device to assist the worker in the placement and removal work. The work assist device includes a display device that the worker is capable of wearing in front of the eyes of the worker and that is configured to show the worker an augmented reality image, an article information acquisition system to acquire article information that is information regarding the articles contained in the containers disposed in the container arrangement section, and a control system to control the display device. The control system generates a container transmission image that is the augmented reality image making at least one container out of the containers disposed in the container arrangement section appear transparent and showing the worker an appearance of the articles contained in the at least one container.