Pcdata USA, a supply chain automation company that provides picking solutions for order fulfillment operations, introduced its SmartGlass pick-to-vision product this week.

SmartGlass, a small cartridge that clips onto the stem of any generic warehouse safety goggle, projects a simple computer screen display into the wearer's visual field. As a user looks at any 2D bar code, the system's software identifies the object and projects a visual instruction, such as "drop 4" or "pick 20," depending on which bin or tote is also in the field of vision.

The SmartGlass wearable module gets its data from Pcdata's Distrib AR (augmented reality) software, which runs on any standard PC terminal and interfaces with the client's warehouse management system (WMS). The product is a finalist for the annual MHI Best New Innovation Award, to be presented on March 26.

"This is the latest in hands-free picking technologies, after pick-to-light, voice, and RF," said Antonio Rodrigues, the company's North American sales manager. Early applications are expected to be replacements for voice picking, particularly in warehouses, factories, and retail operations.