How does royal mail oba work
Royal Mail's OBA (Optical Character Reader) is a machine learning-based technology used to automate the sorting and processing of mail. Here's how it works:
What is OBA?
OBA is a high-speed, high-accuracy optical character recognition system that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to read and recognize handwritten and printed addresses on mailpieces. The system is designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of mail sorting and processing.
How does OBA work?
Here's a step-by-step explanation of the OBA process:
- Mailpiece scanning: Mailpieces are scanned using a high-resolution camera system, which captures images of the address on the mailpiece.
- Image processing: The scanned images are processed using advanced image processing algorithms to enhance the quality and clarity of the images.
- Character recognition: The processed images are then fed into the OBA system, which uses machine learning algorithms to recognize and extract the characters (letters and numbers) from the address.
- Address interpretation: The recognized characters are then interpreted to extract the relevant information, such as the recipient's name, address, and postcode.
- Data validation: The extracted data is then validated against Royal Mail's address database to ensure accuracy and completeness.
- Sorting and routing: The validated data is then used to sort and route the mailpieces to their correct destinations.
Benefits of OBA
The OBA system offers several benefits, including:
- Improved accuracy: OBA reduces the risk of mis-sorting and mis-delivery of mailpieces, ensuring that mail reaches its intended destination more efficiently.
- Increased speed: OBA can process mailpieces at a rate of up to 30,000 per hour, making it a much faster and more efficient process than manual sorting.
- Reduced costs: By automating the sorting and processing of mail, OBA helps reduce labor costs and improve operational efficiency.
- Enhanced customer experience: OBA helps ensure that mail is delivered quickly and accurately, improving the overall customer experience.
Overall, Royal Mail's OBA system is a powerful tool that helps improve the efficiency, accuracy, and speed of mail sorting and processing, while also reducing costs and enhancing the customer experience.