Strengthening Efficiency and Safety in Forklift Operations through Autobiographical Design

Abstract: Forklift vehicles used for moving pallets and boxes in warehouses, have recently been integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, in effect making forklifts networked and in parts controllable from afar. Human operators now carry out tasks according to instructions displayed on the screen of the IoT-forklift instead of just maneuvering around and executing tasks as they see fit. Through an autobiographical design process, hazardous situations arising because of limitations at the interface of the IoT-forklifts were revealed. To address these hazardous situations, we propose changing the interface of the forklift to better monitor the pick-up and dropping of packages. Changes to the digitally-enabled interface was done through the implementation of modalities. In short three modalities was considered, tactile, visual and auditive ones. While the tactile modality was not deemed to be feasible, the visual and auditive modalities was prototyped and evaluated through an Wizard of Oz method. Colored LED light strips showed to improve the handling, locating, selecting and moving the correct goods within the warehouse while keeping both operators and items safe. Further improvements to the digitally-enabled infrastructure in the warehouse that can optimize the routes to and from the pickup were devised. Cameras, sensors and lasers installed on advantageous places within the warehouse and on the forklift will help keeping track on both the forklift operators and the items during pick - and drop operations. As a result the system will have an awareness of its environment were both efficiency and safety will be further improved.