Towards Warehouse 5.0: A Framework of Human-Centered Technologies

Towards the era of Industry 5.0 (I5.0), the globe experiences an evolving web in supply chains, supply hubs, ware-house management, lower latency deliveries, personnel assistance and improved customer experience. To meet the challenges of this reformation, companies, like BMW, Samsung, DHL, IKEA, Amazon, etc., are starting to adopt and develop new human-centered technologies including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), industrial robots, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). Additionally, the increased use of technologies, both independently and as collaborative systems, along with the need for remote long-distance cooperative human work, has stretched the capabilities of wireless telecommunications. The above highlights the prerequisite for more robust and improved wireless cellular technologies (5G), offering ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity and responsiveness, especially in the developed AR and VR applications that aim to provide simultaneous remote use. As part of I5.0, the warehouse enterprise is undergoing a revolutionary transformation by integrating all these advanced technologies, thus collectively shaping the concept of Warehouse 5.0. Towards this end, we propose a user-centered conceptual framework consisting of two systems that utilize VR and smart ware-house technologies to train and evaluate personnel in warehouse workflow scenarios while improving warehouse procedures and management. This approach can increase personnel readiness and skills while highlighting potential delays and optimizing various procedures.