A scanner glove has replaced the use of conventional barcode technology by international logistics employees packing and shipping vehicle components from Audi's Ingolstadt plant. The scanner is integrated into a ProGlove, and workers trigger the scanning function by pressing the thumb and first finger together.

Use of the glove leaves both hands free for work and saves additional movements—to pick up and put down a scanner, for example. It also minimizes walking and makes the working routines in Audi's CKD Packing operation more ergonomic, the company says.

Scanner gloves make work easier for logistics employees at the Audi plant in Ingolstadt. Image credit: Audi AG.“For our employees, the scanner glove is a real help. It makes them more flexible; they can move freely and can scan and pack the cartons more easily,” says Hartmut Bartsch, head of CKD Packing.

The intelligent glove has an ergonomically optimized trigger button on the index finger, which operates the scanner when it is pressed against the thumb. The employee doesn’t have to focus on the barcode because the scanning function is integrated into the natural hand movement. Workers know that an item has been scanned by means of optical (LED light), acoustical (buzzer) and tactile (vibration) signals.

The scanner communicates with the receiver unit by radio. This access point is connected via USB or a normal serial connector. The battery charge is designed to last for the period of a working shift and can then be fully recharged within two hours.

Audi says use of the scanner glove is the first step toward widespread utilization of wearables in its operations. The company is now testing the glove in pilot phases in other areas of production.