Orientation by Light Track − How LARS Is Rethinking Intralogistics for People

The system uses special laser projectors that are safe for the human eye. However, the real innovation is in the software: LARS controls the lasers in real time and connects them to existing systems such as ERP, WMS or MES. ”Technically speaking, we have developed an interface for controlling laser shows,” explains Ahlbäumer. ”This interface allows us to generate highly dynamic, colourful visualizations and thus control work processes.”

The system has a modular structure. ”We can display all kinds of things: Arrows, stop signs, parking space markings or danger zones. Depending on the customer’s requirements,” says Ahlbäumer. The application scenarios range from picking and consolidating to (de-)palletizing or sorting.

A current use case demonstrates the strengths of the system: ”We are currently testing the projection of pallet storage locations in a warehouse with a partner company,” reports Ahlbäumer. ”As soon as the shift supervisor starts the process, the forklift drivers can see on the floor where they have to place their pallets. No note, no radio message − just a clear light pulse.”

Five lasers are sufficient to provide instructions in up to twelve lanes on an area around 30 meters wide. The projection surface depends on the height of the hall, but the principle remains the same: bringing information directly to where it is needed. ”This not only saves time, but also reduces errors,” says Ahlbäumer.

An important driver for LARS was the increasing shortage of specialists. ”In many warehouses today, people work who don’t speak our language well or are barely trained. A system that works with symbols, numbers and colors helps tremendously,” says Ahlbäumer. ”Instead of long texts or cryptic picking slips, there is a clear indication on the floor − intuitive, unambiguous, immediately understandable.”

This is a particular advantage for temporary workers or seasonal peaks. LARS significantly shortens the training period and improves safety at the same time. ”If a forklift truck approaches, LARS can display a virtual exclusion zone, for example. That’s a benefit for everyone involved,” says Ahlbäumer.

The system is deliberately designed to be open. ”We didn’t want an isolated solution,” emphasizes Ahlbäumer. ”That’s why LARS can be connected to various existing systems and works via a modular software architecture.”

The RGB lasers used are extremely bright and enable the display of any colors and shapes. A special lens provides the necessary beam divergence to ensure maximum safety. This lens systems allows the laser to be very bright. This is a particularly important aspect in modern warehouses, which also offer daylight. According to Ahlbäumer, the lasers used are also safe: ”The laser is tuned in such a way that it remains below the limit values and can therefore also be approved by the technical monitoring institutions without any problems.”

LARS is also scalable and can be expanded to include additional projectors or functions if required. ”Our system is like a construction kit: if you want to start small, you can. If you want to build a complex control system, you have all the options at your fingertips,” says Ahlbäumer.

The combination with the AULIS system (p. 16), which was also developed at the Fraunhofer IML, is particularly attractive. While AULIS is a modular operating system that organizes the transport of goods using autonomous mobile robotics (AMR) and automated guided vehicles (AGV), LARS supports human employees.

”In modern logistics, people and machines have to work together. AULIS regulates the transportation of the robotics, LARS shows the humans where to go,” Ahlbäumer sums it up.

The interaction is clearly evident in applications where AMR fleets navigate through a Hall and LARS simultaneously projects visual guidance for the humans. ”This reduces collisions, improves ergonomics and increases process speed,” says Ahlbäumer.

LARS is still a system with a lot of potential for further applications. ”We see LARS as a navigation system for the shop floor,” says Ahlbäumer. ”In the long term, however, we can imagine using it to map entire work instructions, safety routines or route guidance.”

Extensions with additional sensor systems or cameras are also conceivable. In the future, LARS could react to current situations and automatically display an alternative route in the event of an incident, for example.

LARS is definitely much more than just a technological gadget. It is an example of a human-centered approach to innovation that uses technology not for its own sake, but to address specific problems. In times of a shortage of specialists, increasing cost pressure and growing complexity in intralogistics, a smart beam of light could make all the difference.

”We are currently looking for partners who want to develop LARS with us,” says Ahlbäumer. ”The potential is huge, and we’re only just getting started.”

And who knows − maybe LARS will soon be standard in every Hall − as a silent companion in everyday working life that provides orientation with light and never gets in the way.