Mobile devices can be used to
capture the alphanumeric data
the information. AllRead
MLT is a cost-effective
solution, adapting to
the existing processes
and needing no specific
hardware,” he enthuses.
AllRead’s technology
already has some early
customers, notes Landman.
“We have ongoing pilot
projects with companies like
Suez, the port of Barcelona
and Comsa, in Spain.”
Benefits to air cargo
AllRead’s submission was
originally entered under
the Airport Operations and
Logistics category of the
competition, but it was put
through to the next stage in
a different category.
“IAG Cargo spotted great
potential in our computer
vision software technology
for application in the cargo
logistics industry,” says
Landman. “With AllRead, we
want to disrupt the traditional
OCR (optical character
recognition) and barcode
technologies.”
He explains more
specifically how the
technology stands to benefit
the sector. “By providing
a solution to capture, read
and accurately digitise the
codes on unit load devices,
both containers and aircraft
pallets, to be automatically
integrated in the existing ULD
management systems, AllRead
MLT wants to help the air
cargo industry to streamline all
their ULD related processes,”
he begins. “These processes
include tracking ‘ins’ and
‘outs’ of warehouses, managing
ULD stocks and managing
inventories. The technology
helps to reduce inefficient
and error-prone manual
processes and accelerate data
management. Knowing in
real time where a container is,
when it entered the warehouse,
or how many containers are
currently available, is highly
valuable,” he asserts. “This
ensures that all containers are
managed efficiently.”
Accelerator objectives
Landman explains what they
aimed to achieve during the
ten week pilot.
“We are developing a
unique reading software
for air cargo containers
and ultimately for all kinds
of ULDs, based on the
requirements of IAG Cargo.
The software will be tested
in mobile devices used
during the daily inventory
process and evaluated on its
impact on inventory time
and data integration time
in the ULD management
software,” he relates.
They also used this time to
address any current limitations
of the solution. Landman
provides one such example:
“Despite the established
nomenclature of ULD codes,
some can be very damaged,
which makes the recognition
more challenging. The way
to address this is to train our
model with more real data and
artificially augmented data,
to be able to read ULD codes
despite damage.”
The mentor
Carly Morris, Head of
Innovation at IAG Cargo,
confirms that AllRead was
chosen by the judges for
demonstrating their ability
to turn data into actionable
insights.
Speaking at the halfway
point of the programme, she
elaborated on the objectives of
the mentorship period.
“The aim of the ten-week programme is to run a joint
proof of concept which is showcased to senior management in
IAG Cargo. AllRead will have access to real world operational
environments, work with experts across the industry and receive
tailored mentorship and support from a senior sponsor. If the tenweek
programme goes well, our ambition is to utilise AllRead’s
innovative technology to digitalise our ULD management
processes, thereby strengthening our operations,” she says.
Morris relayed that excellent progress had been made in
exploring how AllRead’s technology will be applied within IAG
Cargo to make business run more efficiently. “We will be starting
testing in the next few weeks and we are excited to see the results
come together for the Hangar 51 Demo Day in January.
“As with all start-ups that are selected for the ten week
accelerator programme, AllRead has the opportunity to follow
in the footsteps of Emu Analytics – a winner of the 2018 Hangar
51 programme. Emu Analytics’ success on the programme has
led to IAG Cargo’s use of its real-time vehicle telematics analysis
and visualisation solution platform, Flo.w, created to improve
the efficiency of our high-volume cargo handling operation at
Heathrow,” she notes.
The accelerator programme will come to a head in January
2020 when all 13 of the finalists will present the results of
their pilots at the Demo Day, for a chance to receive funding
towards the further development and commercialisation of their
concepts. “To receive funding, start-ups on the programme must
demonstrate the use of their technology in putting customers first
while improving IAG Cargo’s services,” Morris concludes.
Silva-Constenla (left) and Landman
presented the solution in September
www.airlogisticsinternational.com December 2019 13
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