Use Case: Lights
Instant order alerts for warehouse operations
Summary
Instantly notify warehouse floor staff of new, urgent orders without them needing to monitor a computer screen. Integrate ItemPath reports of Power Pick data with Philips Hue smart lightbulbs to trigger customizable physical light signals, cutting response time and boosting operational awareness in high-paced environments.
Persona
Warehouse Operations Manager, Floor Supervisor
Challenge
Slow response time and operational blind spots
Feature and Solution
Staff are often away from their terminals, picking, packing, or operating equipment. Urgent new orders can sit for minutes without immediate notice, causing delays and friction.
The ItemPath Lights App, paired with a Workflow, immediately bridges the gap between digital events and physical action.
When a new order is created in Power Pick, ItemPath detects this event in real-time. It then triggers a workflow that communicates with a connected smart lightbulb on the floor, changing its colour and state.
This provides an immediate, highly visible cue to personnel that a new order requires attention, improving awareness and potentially speeding up initial processing steps.
Example:
Consider service settings where constant VLM monitoring isn't available. An urgent alert system becomes vital.
A customer arrives seeking specialized assistance for a purchase (e.g. a mechanic urgently requires a component for maintenance, or a nurse needs a critical item for surgery).
ItemPath instantly recognizes the presence of the urgent request through a filtered report.
ItemPath’s Workflow sends a command to the designated light zone.
According to pre-determined action(s) in the Workflow, the light(s) will turn on, change colour or flash for 15 seconds
Floor staff see the unmistakable, physical alert, stop their current less-urgent task, knowing that a new order needs immediate attention.
The order is processed faster, meeting the urgent SLA.
Key Results and Benefits
This solution moves alerting from a passive screen to a proactive physical cue, yielding direct operational benefits.
ItemPath's Lights integration transforms passive data into proactive visual cues. Stop relying on screen monitoring. Start leveraging your existing infrastructure to achieve real-time operational awareness. For critical environments, this is the fastest way to turn an urgent order into a completed task.
Top Capabilities
- Physical Device Control: Directly interfaces with and controls hardware. Supports Philips Hue bridges and lights, allowing for control over specified light zones.
- Customizable Visual Alerts: Configure specific colors - or trigger lights to flash - indicating different event types, priority levels, readiness, or warnings.
- Improves Overall Throughput: The efficiency gained by immediate awareness allows the warehouse to process more urgent and complex orders faster, directly impacting customer satisfaction and delivery promises.
Operational Benefits
- Cuts Order Response Time: Personnel are instantly alerted wherever they are on the floor, eliminating the delay for staff waiting to check a screen or receive a call.
- Eliminates Processing Errors: Customizable visual alerts ensure priority (e.g., Red = Urgent) is communicated clearly, reducing the risk of staff prioritizing a standard order over a critical one.
- Real-time Event Triggering: Instantly reacts to new order events in Power Pick.
Additional Resources
To learn more about connecting your Lights, here are some helpful resources:
