AR glasses, smart helmets, parcel analysis systems...

　　“Black technology” speeds up express delivery for "Double Eleven"

　　◎ Staff reporter Du Peng

　　This year's lively "Double Eleven" shopping festival has come to an end. Every major e-commerce shopping festival, the logistics industry is busier than the merchants. Data monitored by the State Post Bureau shows that from November 1 to 11, 2023, the national postal and express delivery companies received a total of 5.264 billion parcels, a year-on-year increase of 23.22%, and the average daily business volume was 1.4 times that of weekdays. On November 11 alone, 639 million parcels were received, 1.87 times the daily business volume, and a year-on-year increase of 15.76%.

　　In the past, as soon as "Double Eleven" arrived, some express delivery stations would be "overwhelmed". Now, this predicament has basically disappeared, and many consumers have exclaimed about the "speed" of express delivery, and "Why is Double Eleven logistics so fast" has even topped the hot search.

　　Behind the small express parcels is a long logistics chain and a complex logistics network system, and technology is playing an increasingly important role in it. The application of technological innovations is significantly improving people's experience of receiving and sending express delivery, and also bringing more convenience to daily life.

　　Smart AR glasses:

　　Free up hands and improve efficiency

　　Whenever consumers anxiously open the e-commerce App to check the logistics information of the parcel, seeing the parcel being relayed from one station to another, their inner anxiety will be somewhat relieved. Each time a parcel arrives at a station, the staff will enter the relevant information into the system, this process is also called warehousing, so users can check its transportation progress in real time.

　　In the traditional warehousing process, staff need to use PDA devices to scan the barcodes on the express parcel waybills one by one to obtain parcel information and enter it into the logistics system. Operating handheld devices requires at least one hand of the staff, and in the warehousing process, handling, picking, and sorting often require staff to operate with both hands, and handheld devices become a "burden" for the staff at this time. In addition, handheld scanning devices usually can only scan one parcel at a time, these factors limit the efficiency of personnel, and prolong the transit time of express delivery.

　　However, with the gradual maturity of AR technology and hardware devices, smart AR glasses, which combine AR technology with network information technology, are quietly changing the traditional workflow of the logistics industry.

　　Smart AR glasses support binocular full-color AR display, with a transmittance of over 95%, while displaying high-definition content without obstructing the user's vision, allowing for hands-free operation and information acquisition. More importantly, it is not only an AR glasses with display capabilities, but also a smart device with independent computing capabilities.

　　In the picking and warehousing process, staff wearing these smart AR glasses no longer need to use handheld devices to scan goods; when they find the goods, the glasses can automatically complete the scanning operation. When multiple goods need to be scanned, as long as the goods are within the "field of vision" of these smart AR glasses, they can quickly identify the parcels and confirm the number of boxes and pieces to ensure efficient picking and avoid missing pieces.

　　These smart AR glasses can not only scan goods information, but also display the specific location of the goods in the warehouse on the lens through AR technology, quickly guiding staff to find the location of the goods. At the same time, staff wearing these glasses can also view goods information while walking, eliminating the need to run around, reducing the possibility of collisions between staff and logistics vehicles in the warehouse.

　　In addition, people wearing these smart AR glasses can also communicate with the dispatch center and other staff through voice calls for efficient communication, further improving picking efficiency.

　　Smart helmet:

　　Protecting the safe travel of couriers

　　The huge logistics network has both "main arteries" and "capillaries." Every express parcel can be delivered to the user on time, thanks to the hard work of countless couriers. The appearance of smart helmets protects the safety of couriers while significantly improving their delivery efficiency.

　　Based on traditional helmets, smart helmets have innovatively added wearing and collision detection systems, self-sensing taillights, Bluetooth headsets, microphones, etc. The smart helmet has an embedded intelligent detection module, and couriers need to bind with the helmet when wearing it. With this function, the logistics platform can monitor the wearing and use of helmets by couriers to ensure "one helmet, one wear."

　　During delivery, couriers often need to communicate with merchants and users by phone. The built-in Bluetooth module in the smart helmet can wirelessly connect to the courier's mobile phone, and the courier can answer or reject calls by clicking or long-pressing for 2 seconds. In addition, considering that wearing Bluetooth earphones for a long time will cause discomfort to the ears, this Bluetooth earphone adopts external stereo sound, allowing couriers to wear it for a long time without fatigue. At the same time, the built-in microphone of the smart helmet has wind noise suppression function, so even if you make calls in rainy, snowy or windy weather, the call quality is still guaranteed.

　　At the same time, the smart helmet also has a voice order receiving function. During the delivery process, the relevant App on the mobile phone will give the rider various voice prompts, such as order receiving prompts, arrival confirmation prompts, customer call prompts, as well as speeding reminders, low battery reminders, etc. The rider can directly reply by voice or use shortcut keys to confirm. When the light is dim, the smart helmet will turn on the self-sensing taillight to alert the following vehicle to prevent rear-end collisions, maximizing the safety of the courier.

　　At present, Beijing San Kuai Online Technology Co., Ltd. has developed and launched relevant products. The relevant person in charge of the company told the reporter of Science and Technology Daily that the smart helmet developed by the company, in addition to the above functions, also has many humanized designs. For example, the smart helmet developed by the company is windproof and waterproof, and the head circumference is adjustable. The breathable holes on the helmet top are adjustable, with good breathability, and the magnetic charging port equipped with the helmet can prevent reverse insertion, and a 2-hour charge can be used for 3 days.

　　The relevant person in charge of the company said that the smart helmet has undergone strict tests on vision, wearing device strength and stability, and has passed collision tests, and the test results all meet national standards, providing reliable safety protection for couriers. As of October 2023, the company has deployed 320,000 smart helmets in 28 cities across the country, using smart technology to escort the safety of courier delivery.

　　Parcel analysis system:

　　Ensure that the express delivery is intact

　　Ensuring that parcels are delivered to users intact is the basic responsibility of express delivery companies. During logistics transportation, violent sorting and throwing and other non-standard operations are the main reasons for parcel damage. This not only harms the interests of users, but also brings negative impacts to the logistics industry itself.

　　To prevent irregularities in package sorting by staff, in addition to strengthening personnel management, technological means are also gradually playing an important role.

　　For example, the series of intelligent analysis systems for express packages developed by SF Holding Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as SF Express) can effectively ensure package safety and improve logistics efficiency. Its developed illegal action detection subsystem can perform real-time analysis on videos captured by hundreds of thousands of cameras covering transfer stations and network points, automatically identifying the illegal actions and illegal ratings of operators, and providing reminders and warnings to relevant personnel, greatly reducing the damage rate of express deliveries.

　　SF Express's developed outer packaging damage detection subsystem can promptly detect damaged packages to prevent further damage to the consignment. Relevant personnel from SF Express told reporters that this subsystem uses industrial cameras to collect high-definition images of parcels, performing intelligent detection of outer packaging damage. It can detect damage in real time and intervene to handle it, preventing further damage to the package. This intelligent analysis system can detect damage that is difficult to detect with the naked eye, such as penetrating damage, water damage, wrinkles, and indentations.

　　Belt conveyor congestion and stoppage can cause pipeline paralysis, affecting sorting efficiency. Congestion can also lead to goods being squeezed, deformed, and damaged. To monitor belt conveyor congestion in real time, SF Express has developed a belt conveyor congestion detection subsystem. This system can accurately locate the congested section by analyzing the camera monitoring images, report it in real time, and push messages to ensure that congestion problems are quickly handled.