Pick-by-Voice (in German about "picking by voice"); also Pick-to-Voice , Pick2Voice , Voice-Picking , Move-by-Voice or voice picking ; is a "paperless" picking process . The communication between the picking system and the picker takes place by means of speech. Instead of printed picking lists or radio data terminals, the picker works with a wired or wireless headset, which is either connected to a standard pocket PC or a device specially designed for this purpose.
The orders are sent from the warehouse management system to the order picker via radio, usually WLAN . The first voice output includes the shelf from which the goods are to be removed. Once the order picker has arrived there, he names a check digit or a check letter attached to the shelf with which the system can carry out a check. If the correct check digit has been given, the order picker is instructed how many units to take from the shelf. After removal, the order picker acknowledges this process using key words that are understood by the computer using voice recognition .
Advantages and disadvantages
advantages
disadvantage
Hands and eyes free when picking.
Fewer mistakes than when picking with a picking slip .
Higher picking performance.
Greater concentration through listening and reduced discussions with colleagues.
Less risk of accidents through intuitive monitoring of the surroundings.
Communication between order pickers is only possible to a limited extent if they wear closed headphones. Alternatively, there are monaural, one-sided or semi-open binaural headsets that are wired or wireless with Bluetooth.
Not available in all languages.
If the order picker is to remove several articles from the same shelf zone, this may take longer than with a pick list, as he first has to confirm each article removed in order to get the next article number announced. So there is no overall overview of the items to be removed. Here picking using a pick list is even faster. Alternatively, the process could be changed so that after the technical announcement of the check digit query, only the quantity to be removed is announced - i.e. the complete waiver of the article number.
If speech recognition does not work properly, correcting the article number, for example, costs unnecessary time. If long article numbers (similar to barcodes) are retained, the use of wired / Bluetooth scanners in parallel on the Pick-by-Voice device should be considered.
Background noise can be recognized as a command. This means that commands have to be repeated. This reduces the picking speed and the picker is stressed.
Hearing aid wearers (BTE / ITE) can have difficulties with the system, unless there are systems that are hearing aid compatible.
