Application of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Technologies for Smart Warehouse

The EMSD warehouse stores various spare parts and consumables for maintenance of E&M systems at government premises when necessary. In order to improve warehouse efficiency and make better use of space, colleagues from Electrical and Mechanical Services Department proposed a new solution to improve operational efficiency and enhance user experience through automation technology. The solution combines automated guided vehicle, self-issuing lockers, robot control system and warehouse management system, transforming the warehouse into a four-in-one smart warehouse.

The automatic guided vehicle is a warehouse robot that can follow QR Codes and radio signals through the navigation system. The warehouse management system also utilises artificial intelligence in analyzing the usage of the shelves, and the automatic guided vehicle will arrange the shelves according to the analysis results to facilitate subsequent handling process. Colleagues often spend a lot of time looking for parts, using automatic guided vehicle to move the shelves to the designated place, not only greatly reduces the walking distance of colleagues, but also facilitates operators in distributing the goods to the self-issuing smart lockers. Colleagues can pick up the goods from the self-issuing smart lockers with SMS and one-time password sent by the system, simple and fast!

"EMSD’s Smart Warehouse is the first government warehouse that adopts one-stop intellectualization. In addition to making good use of space and improving warehouse efficiency, it also saves the physical effort and time of staffs. We hope that through the pilot programme, the usage of Smart Warehouse can be promoted to smaller warehouses of other government departments and SMEs to drive the development of smart city.” -- Colleague from Electrical and Mechanical Services Department