In the beginning, light-directed picking technology behaved like Christmas tree lights; if one went down, so did the rest on that loop. Eager for a more reliable approach, the industry then adopted bus-based lights, where each light can be individually controlled, relocated or replaced. These still make up the majority of light installations, even as a fully wireless third-generation gains some ground. Emerging on the horizon are an assortment of hybrids, including early versions of augmented reality (AR) picking technologies that could make lights’ hardware infrastructure obsolete.
For now, the hardware is not where the action is. Unsurprisingly, software advances are at the center of reshaping light-directed solutions’ functionality. Whether for picking or putting, light technologies have entered a new phase in their evolution as they support e-commerce and omni-channel fulfillment.
Read more at MMH.com.