Steven Pulskamp

Development of the first remotely controlled lift truck used for order picking.

Deep ethnographic research provided foundational understandings.
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Understanding the job of order picker was the primary goal. The "red line walk patterns" depict the work performed while the operator is off the lift truck. In this case, the lift truck can only be moved by mounting the vehicle and driving forward 6-12 feet to the next park point. The stationary truck effectively becomes an obstacle for the order picker, and further increases the amount of walking and the number of mounts/dismounts from the platform.

The first generation of wearables included extensive exploration and testing with operators in a wide range of environments - ambient warehouses in the Texas summer, to -40°F deep freezers.
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Three wearable options that use the same Transceiver module that snaps into the dock or trigger.
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Testing of prototype trucks in the field validated the goals for the project. Analyzing 3 months of performance data and working closely with Industrial Engineers studying labor standards, we compared standard trucks to QuickPick trucks and proved that operator productivity rose by nearly 15%.

Generation 2 improves the overall cost of ownership and addresses operator suggested improvements. An operator owns their 'ring', no longer needing to return it to an operation center for overnight recharging. The 'ring' is paired to a specific truck and charged within 5 seconds, delivering 3 to 4 hours of run time. The truck mounted charger signals the operator to recharge when the 'ring' power is low.
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The system has been applied to both European and North America pallet trucks and has garnered a number of Design and Industry awards.