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Cheap, available low-cost sensor technology a boon to logistics: DHL

LOW COST technologies like Microsoft's video-game camera Kinect, smart watches and NFC (near-field communications) technology can be incorporated into logistics, according to a report released by German express giant DHL.

"The success of Smartphones and tablet PCs has created a situation in which employees have better technology for personal use than they do for business needs," said Markus Kukelhaus, director of Trend Research at DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.

"But they expect to have the same standard of technology at work. For this reason, we think companies have to step up and put smartphone sensors in particular to work in logistics," said Dr Kukelhaus,

Tablet PCs and smartphones contain a large number of sensors that recognise our surrounding and the technologies contained in them can also be put to use in logistics, said the DHL release.

These applications can include recording the arrival time of shipments in parcel centres as part of tracking and tracing services, pinpointing the shipment's exact location and updating their status on an online platform, it said.

"DHL has also successfully tested two other application areas. Two concepts used to measure pallet volume have been developed on the basis of sensor systems also found in Microsoft's Kinect," the company said.

"During testing, measurements made by depth-sensing technology have proven to be 50 per cent faster than those performed with past technology. Other potential uses include fill level measurements for containers and trucks as well as the monitoring and documentation of freight damage.

"Reasonably priced sensors hold a special appeal to the logistics industry because network-development investments are generally associated with high costs," the release said.