Imagine warehouse workers wearing a head-mounted computer that visually guides them through the aisles and shows them which product to pick or where to place it, or maintenance employees using such a headset to see instructions for repairing material handling equipment.

Those may sound like scenes from a sci-fi movie. But Motorola’s new HC1 headset computer, currently available for field-service and training applications, could potentially make these and other futuristic warehousing applications a reality.

The HC1 is no ordinary headset. When the user pulls on the device’s black web-like cap, it’s almost like putting on a second brain. A video camera nestles against the temple, an earpiece sits next to the ear, and an optics display pod rests just below the line of sight. It’s the display pod that sets the HC1 apart from other headsets. By looking down into the pod, the user can see maps, schematics, or any other information he or she would ordinarily access through a mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet computer. Users navigate through documents with a combination of voice commands and head gestures.

When a user looks into the pod, it’s like looking into a microscope, but the image appears as if it were on a 15-inch computer screen, says Nicole Tricoukes of Motorola Solutions. The pod’s position below eyelevel enables what Tricoukes calls “information snacking.” “Users can glance down, ‘grab’ whatever information they need, and then look back up at what they are working on,” she says.

The headset offers an optional camera that can transmit pictures or videos, enabling communication between a field-based associate and a remote expert. “The field person could snap a picture and send the image to the remote expert. Then, the expert could annotate the image like a football play and send it back to the field associate,” Tricoukes explains.

For now, Motorola is focusing on the HC1’s uses in maintenance and repair, field operations, and training and simulation. But the company does see a future for the HC1 in logistics. Some of its customers and technology partners are already “playing with” prototypes in warehouses and DCs. ;

Motorola’s “visionary” technology

In what has become an annual tradition, DC VELOCITY Director of Creative Services Keisha Capitola has won yet another American Graphic Design Award for excellence in communication and graphic design from Graphic Design USA magazine. Capitola received this year’s award for Overall Magazine Design. Her work for DC VELOCITY has been recognized by GDUSA every year since DCV was launched in 2003.

Capitola also received an award for Overall Magazine Design for DC VELOCITY’S sister publication, CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly. This marks the fifth consecutive year The Quarterly has been recognized for excellence in graphic design. ;

Yet another trophy for our shelf

inbound
A new look at
logistics in Mexico

As the nearshoring trend gains traction, more companies are considering Mexico as a base for manufacturing and assembly. That makes Mexico: Trucking, Railroads, and Third-Party Logistics Market Report, a new publication from the research and consulting firm Armstrong & Associates, particularly timely. Plus, the report is packed with hard-to-find information that is useful for anyone doing business south of the border.

The 150-page report begins with an overview of the basics: Mexico’s economy, total logistics costs by mode, cross-border traffic and trade statistics, and a helpful walk-through of northbound and southbound customs and border-cross-ing procedures.

Part Two includes profiles of some of the major international transportation and third-party logistics companies (3PLs) operating in Mexico. The profiles go beyond simple facts and figures to include detailed descriptions and competitive analyses of each company’s business model and service offerings, along with some customer case studies. Part Three includes a directory of Mexico’s largest trucking companies and brief profiles of about a dozen homegrown 3PLs.

Part Four is a goldmine for anyone with an interest in Mexico’s automotive industry. It provides an overview of the market; information about the country’s assembly plants and the truckers, railroads, and 3PLs that serve them; and a list of auto parts suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their service providers.