Little things add up, or at least that’s the argument Zebra Technologies Corp. is using to tout the productivity benefits of its latest innovation in the area of barcode scanners, those handheld devices that warehouse workers around the world use to zap the codes printed on shelves and stock-keeping units for the purposes of inventory and order fulfillment.

Barcode scanners have been in use for about four decades, and come in many shapes and sizes, but they all operate pretty much the same way, according to Mike Petersen, director of global marketing in Zebra’s enterprise mobile computing organization. A worker scans a code and then checks a screen on the device to verify that the scan was captured accurately.

Zebra estimates that this small flick of the wrist takes about 1.5 seconds for each operation, which cumulatively adds up to about one hour of time per eight-hour shift. The company says its new TC8000 scanner, which Petersen called an “Android phone on a stick,” eliminates the wrist motion by enabling workers to scan and verify in a single motion through a high-resolution display. The result is a 14 percent improvement in warehouse worker productivity combined with a 55 percent reduction wrist motion and a 15 percent reduction in muscle effort thanks to lighter weight and a simpler trigger.

“Amazon is doing 250 million scans per week,” Petersen asserted. Even a one-second time savings rolled up across that many interactions “becomes a really big number.”

Zebra makes devices like scanners, RFID readers, printers and mobile computers for use in punishing industrial environments. It acquired the device side of Motorola Solutions Inc. – a company three times its size – in late 2013. It has since been working to incorporate smart phone technology – in particular Google’s Android – into product categories that have changed little over the last three decades.

In addition to the simplified scanning process, the TC8000 incorporates a new kind terminal emulation software that maps green screens to a touchscreen-based front end. This can significantly cut the time needed to navigate menus that were designed for a 5251 or 3270 terminal. The TC8000 also sports the most extreme “tumble rating” of any Zebra product. It’s watertight and operates at temperatures ranging from minus four degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Battery life has been improved, and the device incorporates an eight-megapixel camera for documenting things like the condition of incoming shipments or returns.

The product is list-priced at $2,500 with significant discounts available for volume purchases, Petersen said.