Intelligent Logistics: The Industry at Large and the iClip
The logistics industry has, in recent years, been rather tumultuous. Facing the unexpected arrival of the pandemic, consumers shopping habits have noticeably shifted over the past few years. Host Tyler Kern chatted with CEO of Position Imaging Ned Hill about the shift in industry and the technology needed to make the shift just a little…
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The logistics industry has, in recent years, been rather tumultuous. Facing the unexpected arrival of the pandemic, consumers shopping habits have noticeably shifted over the past few years. Host Tyler Kern chatted with CEO of Position Imaging Ned Hill about the shift in industry and the technology needed to make the shift just a little bit smoother.
Hill started, “I think there’s a disruption right now in the industry, there’s a lot of, a lot of things in the logistics space in general, trying to right itself after the pandemic.” A change in industry does not always bring negatives, in this case, the pandemic came with a positive evolution within the logistics space: utilizing more technology.
Position Imaging’s computer vision platform helps people make sense of this new age of ecommerce and e-solutions while also positioning itself to help solve supply chain issues. With a shift in consumer behavior, notably that online ordering is starting to include everything from tires to rugs, there is no limit to the capability of computer vision for logistics.
Hill noted that Position Imaging’s main goal is to enable the human component of logistics using technology. He said, “We’ll take technology and make sure that people can, you know, find packages or assets or whatever they’re looking for, easier and more intuitively.”
Using technology can help create a more streamlined process for the transfer of goods around the world. The implementation of technology within logistics is important at a localized level as well. As the number of online orders increases, every day operations for places like property management offices have to shift into a new, more cooperative role because staff, and front office spaces, can not handle the influx of packages they are receiving.
Hill stated, “…The needs are clearly there for these property managers to, you know, not only take the burden off of their staff but then help and work with their couriers to make sure that there’s a streamlined process of deliveries that’s coming into these buildings, otherwise it’s just an absolute nightmare.”
Position Imaging’s newest innovation is designed to help ease the burden of overwhelmed businesses. The iClip, a temperature-monitoring, flexible smart device, can be used in retail environments and food deliveries to notify and monitor the package and help ensure it gets into the right customer’s hands. Hill said, “It enables buildings, retailers, everyone to start to pair orders…with customers easily.” The iClip has many use cases and helps improves efficiencies within logistics at a more personable service level.
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About the author
Ned Hill founded Position Imaging in 2006 after an earlier venture in wireless dog-fence technology. His interest in tracking began with a dog that kept escaping; it later led to Smart Package Room and iPickup, systems that help people collect deliveries in residential buildings and retail settings. An economics graduate, Ned says he had to stop leaving the technical discussions to others and learn more of how his products worked. In his interviews, Ned connects product decisions with the realities of building a company. Discussing package collection, he explains why rising online sales required a different approach to fulfillment. In a financing conversation with David Byrne, he gets into the limits of venture debt and the role of intellectual property and future cash flow. His 2023 award appearance recognizes Position Imaging’s team and its move into multifamily package management. Ned is willing to revisit his own assumptions. Recalling a Tractor Supply pilot, he says he expected pickup at the back of the store to prompt more shopping. The retailer chose the front; customers valued the easier collection, and some used the time they saved to browse. It is a concrete example of the customer behavior he looks for when testing a product.
