Food and beverage company PepsiCo announced it had deployed machine vision technology from startup KoiReader Technologies at its distribution centers.
KoiReader’s AutonomousOCR technology can read stationary and moving warehouse barcodes and labels of various sizes from any angle. It can also identify partially damaged or obstructed labels and track products without labels.
PepsiCo expects AI-powered automation to assist with warehouse label reading accuracy and efficiency. The company debuted the technology at its distribution center in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to scan labels on conveyor belts and automate yard operations where trailers and tractors enter and exit. The company plans to introduce the technology to other centers this year.
PepsiCo is also investigating AutonomousOCR’s ability to aid warehouse workers in scanning pallets. The technology can measure the time it takes workers to pack boxes and retrieve items for boxes and the number of items packed. KoiReader CEO and founder Ashutosh Prasad said the technology helps reduce costs and prevents warehouses from deploying workers to deal with label scanning inaccuracies.
Other companies utilizing warehouse automation include Maersk and United Natural Foods Inc. Maersk partnered with BionicHIVE for a solution that sorts, selects, and puts away packages. United Natural Foods introduced a similar scanning technology at its Washington distribution center.
