How Data Annotation can Improve Delivery Services

The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the ongoing shift towards internet shopping and home delivery. Delivery giant Amazon reported a near 200% rise in profits in 2020, cementing at home shopping as the dominant consumer habit for the coming decades. As demand for delivery services accelerate computer vision based AI models are being developed and deployed to streamline delivery, and promote operational efficiency. Applications enabled by machine learning have the potential to help a range of businesses adapt to growing consumer needs.

Access to high quality annotated training images and video is key to the success of delivery AI projects. This blog will examine two of the exciting use cases for AI in the delivery sector and reveal how smart data annotation services, like Keymakr, can support these emerging innovations.

Distribution

Before packages can be delivered they need to be sorted at distribution centers and placed into the correct vehicles. Most of the time this is accomplished with barcodes, information contained on these barcodes allows operators to know where packages should be taken in the facility. In most cases these barcodes are scanned with dedicated scanning devices, which must be given to staff and collected at the end of a shift. These devices can be expensive to procure and may even need to be shared across multiple operators, which can be unhygienic and inefficient. To improve this situation computer vision applications can be installed on smartphones, allowing them to scan multiple barcodes simultaneously and relay relevant information. This data can be displayed via augmented reality UIs, creating an intuitive distribution process that substantially reduces human error.

Smartphone based barcode scanning systems can streamline distribution system operations. However, in order to operate reliably these applications must be trained with varied training data. Professional annotation providers are experienced at assembling datasets that reflect a range of real world conditions, such as low light levels or image quality. Companies, like Keymakr, can also create data, ensuring that images and video meet the needs of growing models.

Delivery

AI powered applications for smartphones are also improving processes at the point of delivery. Smartphone systems can allow delivery drivers to identify the correct package by simply holding their phone camera over the packages in their vehicle. These applications can display a range of information for drivers, including delivery instructions, weather conditions, and navigation details. Computer vision technology also simplifies the final stage of delivery by allowing drivers to record proof of delivery and contactless signing for package recipients. As an integrated system AI powered delivery apps make it easy to train drivers and respond to the increasing demand created by online shopping.

To fully optimize this technology developers need access to annotated training images at scale. However, setting up in-house annotation operations can be expensive, time consuming, and can distract managers and lead researchers from core company goals. In-house teams can also be inefficient, needing to be wound down if data needs decline. Outsourcing to dedicated annotation services can be an affordable alternative that scales with demand for image and video data.

Annotation Services for Delivery AI

Many organisations are beginning to integrate computer vision technology into their delivery operations. Smart data annotation can ensure that innovators in this sector meet the evolving needs of clients.

Keymakr leverages proprietary annotation tools, and multiple layers of quality control to provide data annotation that is precise, affordable, and scalable.

Contact a team member to book your personalized demo today.