Sphere No.48 (Jan 2020)

>> Sphere #48 2020 11 nights to days as I could have more time undisturbed to carry out specific projects.” We do our bestwork at night Energy isn’t the only type of business that needs to keep the goods flowing. People take for granted the fact that food in the modern world is fresh at the supermarket every morning. But for them to have a pleasant morning, armies of people work overnight so their fruits, yoghurts, baked breads and other goods are as fresh as they can be. In Hong Kong, PARKnSHOP operates over 260 stores serving 7.3 million people in one of the world’s most densely packed urban areas. Goods are constantly flowing in by ship, by lorry and into Chek Lap Kok International Airport by jumbo jet so that the demanding Hong Kong foodies can have the freshest possible food and provisions. While some products, like ice cream, never hit the warehouse, almost everything else flows through a select group of distribution centres to then go to hundreds of stores. At Sheung Shui, an industrial neighbourhood, a dedicated team of 50 people work with advanced technology to ensure the right goods go to the right place every day. Fresh fruits from Japan or Latin America, freshly baked breads from local baking operations and fresh vegetables from China are all processed after midnight. An elite group of focused staff, who often prefer the quieter night-time work, move among the goods to be shipped, almost silent to each other – but they hear voices in their heads. The voice is a technology known as voice picking. A combination of wireless, speech recognition and synthesis technology is used to give staff precise instructions about where to go, what to get, and where to take it. Once staff have trained the computer system by reciting a standard script, they can hit the floor with their choice of male or female voice telling them where to go. Once they arrive at the destination, they confirm arrival and are told what to get and where to take it. The efficiency shows in worker performance. The old system involved reading cramped charts off paper and staff would often take up to two weeks to hit a normal level of performance. The new headset system not only frees workers’ hands and eyes for action, but sees new staff ramp up to top performance within three days. Workers can, in some cases, move twice as fast. It also brings a higher degree of peace of mind for workers. If a ‘picker’ is uncertain whether they are in the right place or have the right items, they can ask the computer whether they are in the right place or have loaded the right goods. Also, recruitment is easier as less-skilled workers feel it is less stressful to have a voice system giving them instructions, rather than having to “The UK Power Networks’ engineers are among the many hard-working people who keep London thriving at night. ” Amy Lamé The Night Czar of London Voice-picking technology and dedicated night owls keep the stores stocked in the day. UK Power Networks energises the music, lights and excitement for London’s citizens of the night.