Augmented reality in logistics

This paper describes the basic elements of logistics and pays special attention to improvement possibilities in packaging, handling, storage and transportation phases where manpower and personnel also play an important role. To decrease the error rate of object selection and decision-making time it is necessary to simplify natural logistics element execution and make it more humane where human resources are involved. Modern technologies can improve those processes by taking care of stressful situations and depressing warehouse worker routines. Augmented reality (AR) offers a key technology to solve these problems by allowing to make decisions based on computer generated visualizations and 3D model projections. The successful use of AR technologies in various industries and some experimental approbation in warehouse environments confirms the potential and perspectives. The use of instructions in three dimensional space instead of text and image based guides is a general improvement which is also introduced in this paper. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.