BrightEYE helps businesses see the way to material handling efficiency  

VisionNav Robotic’s BrightEYE system is helping to bring efficiency and significant safety gains at sites where driverless forklifts are deployed. But what is BrightEYE and how does it work? Here are 10 frequently asked questions about this revolutionary intralogistics technology.

In simple terms, what is the BrightEYE System and how does it work?

The BrightEYE system is a new camera recognition technology that facilitates the safe and efficient movement of driverless forklifts or AGVs by identifying a driverless forklift truck’s precise location within a warehouse, distribution centre or factory building. It also recognises goods, pallets, pedestrians, other forklifts, building infrastructure and any stationery or moving objects that might represent a potential hazard on the AGV’s route and, by feeding information back to a central control system, ensures collisions or other accidents are avoided.

What benefits does it bring to a warehouse or distribution centre environment?

BrightEYE improves material handling efficiency and greatly reduces risks in the intralogistics process to deliver a safer and more productive warehousing environment.

Is it easy to install?

Exceptionally easy! The hardware is very straightforward to introduce and the software is installed with one simple click!

Is it compatible with existing WMS technology?
Yes. The BrightEYE system is compatible with all existing popular warehouse management system technologies and is very simply adapted to fit in with any WMS that it isn’t immediately compatible with.

Can it work in dark or dimly lit facilities or outside in a yard?

The system recognises when it is entering a poorly lit environment or a part of the warehouse that is, perhaps, a little gloomy, and immediately switches to infra-red (night vision) mode. When BrightEYE’s infra-red setting has been activated, the system can perform with 100 per cent efficiency in total darkness. But also, if deployed in an outdoor setting, bright sunlight has no impact on the system’s efficiency and recognition functionality.

Can you give one or two examples of companies that are using BrightEYE technology?

BrightEYE has been widely used by logistics and manufacturing companies working across a broad range of sectors, including e-commerce, food, pharmaceuticals and the automotive industry to help with diverse intralogistics tasks.

For example, a leading organisation operating in the petrochemical space is enjoying improved truck loading efficiency thanks to BrightEYE. At the client’s site driverless forklifts fitted with clamp attachments block stack unpalletised loads of wire coil in multiple layers in the company’s goods-out marshalling area before orders are transferred to waiting flat-bed lorries by two AGV forklifts that deposit loads from either side of the flat-bed trailer.

Meanwhile, a food manufacture is using BrightEYE to bring efficiency gains to its raw material and packaging products storage processes. BrightEYE identifies incoming orders and delivers each pallet load to the designated location within the bulk store racking system.

For companies that are considering adopting driverless trucks, is it essential to install BrightEYE?

It is not essential to install BrightEYE but, because the system brings so many productivity and safety benefits to sites where driverless forklifts operate, it is certainly advisable.

How useful is BrightEYE as a safety feature in the warehouse? For example, does the system alert a forklift if there is a pedestrian nearby?

BrightEYE calculates the position of lift trucks as well as human traffic and other potential obstructions in real time and issues a safety warning if, for example, workers and trucks get too close to each other. If the system identifies heightened risk from some form of obstruction, be it warehouse workers or a pallet load, the truck will be brought to a controlled halt and will only resume operation once the hazard has been removed.

Is BrightEYE a low-cost investment?

The overall cost of the system will, of course, vary depending on the size of the site, the number of driverless trucks in operation and so on, but at installations throughout the world BrightEYE has demonstrated that it is a highly cost-effective solution that gives a rapid return on investment.

What are the BrightEYE system’s key USPs (unique selling points)?

BrightEYE works in tandem with state-of-the-art driverless forklift technology to deliver an intelligent and efficient warehousing environment. It’s ability to identify stock in the goods-in or goods-out marshaling areas combined with its safety features, makes BrightEYE a valuable addition at any site where driverless forklifts and AGVs are deployed.