Voxware Certified Hardware · Bluetooth Ring Scanner
Certified for Voxware Voice Management System (VMS) · Five wearing styles · IP65 · NFC tap-to-pair
The Zebra RS5100 is a wearable Bluetooth ring scanner certified for Voxware’s Voice Management System, and it is the scanner most Voxware sites standardise on. Worn on the finger or the back of the hand, it lets a picker scan to verify an item, a location or a GS1 lot code without letting go of the product — the missing half of a genuinely hands-free voice workflow.
Why a ring scanner belongs in a voice deployment
Voice removes the screen, but it does not remove the need to verify. Most operations still want a scan on the item, the location, or both, because a scan is the difference between the picker believing they took the right thing and the system knowing it. The problem is that a handheld scanner puts a device back in the hand you just freed up.
A ring scanner solves that. The RS5100 sits on the finger or the back of the hand, so the picker keeps both hands on the carton and triggers a scan with a thumb or a finger press. Voxware speaks the assignment through the headset, the picker confirms out loud, and the scan verifies it, all without anything being picked up or put down. Zebra offers five interchangeable wearing styles, which matters more than it sounds: comfort over an eight-hour shift is what determines whether pickers actually use the scanner as intended.
Five wearing styles
Single-finger mount with one or two triggers, Enterprise Hand Mount in multiple sizes, back-of-hand mount, and a retracting lanyard.
Scan without letting go
Both hands stay on the product; the picker triggers a scan with a thumb or finger rather than reaching for a device.
GS1 lot and expiration capture
Reads the full 1D and 2D symbology set, so lot-controlled and date-coded product can be captured at the point of pick.
Two scan engine options
The SE4710 covers standard range; the SE4770 with a laser cross-hair aimer improves range and aiming over the older RS507X.
Batteries for back-to-back shifts
480 mAh standard or 735 mAh extended, with Zebra rating 12 hours and 14,400 scans on the standard battery.
Tap to pair
NFC tap-to-pair connects the scanner to a Zebra mobile computer in one motion at shift start.
How the RS5100 is used with Voxware VMS
The picker taps the RS5100 to a Voxware-certified Zebra mobile computer to pair it, straps it to a finger or the back of the hand, and signs in to the Voxware client. VMS then speaks the location and the item; the picker travels, confirms the location by voice, scans the item to verify, states the quantity, and moves on. The scanner and the headset split the work — voice for anything a person can say faster than they can type, scanning for anything a barcode proves better than a person can.
Because the RS5100 pairs to the mobile computer rather than to Voxware directly, it works the same way whether the computer is on the picker’s wrist, on a hip mount, or in a holster. That is what makes it equally at home on a WT6300 wearable and on a certified handheld.
Workflows Voxware customers run on it
- Scan-to-verify picking, where a barcode confirms the item after the voice confirmation.
- Lot-controlled and date-coded product, capturing GS1 lot and expiration data at the point of pick.
- Location verification, scanning the rack or bin label rather than reading a check digit aloud.
- Receiving and put-away, where both hands are on cartons and a handheld scanner would have to be set down.
- Cycle counting, where scan volume is high and every saved motion compounds across thousands of reads.
Where the RS5100 fits best
Ambient distribution centers. This is the RS5100’s home ground, and where its combination of price, comfort options and durability makes it the default choice for most Voxware sites.
High-volume each and case picking. Zebra rates the standard battery at 14,400 scans, which is aimed squarely at operations where a picker scans continuously rather than occasionally.
Coolers and light cold storage. With the extended battery the RS5100 is rated to -20 °C, which covers chilled work. Note that with the standard battery the floor is 0 °C.
Mixed device fleets. Because it pairs to the host computer over Bluetooth, the same scanner follows a picker across wearables and handhelds without reconfiguration.
For deep freezer work, check the battery specification carefully: the RS5100 reaches -20 °C only with its extended battery, whereas the Zebra RS6100 reaches -30 °C with its extended battery and matches the WT6300‘s rating. If you need long-range scanning — reading a pallet label from across an aisle — the RS6100 also reaches considerably further.
What the RS5100 pairs with
Voxware certifies complete voice kits rather than scanners in isolation. The RS5100 is commonly deployed with:
| Wearable computers | Zebra WT6300 — named in Zebra’s own RS5100 material as a pairing partner |
|---|---|
| Handheld computers | Zebra TC53, Zebra TC22, Zebra TC8300 |
| Headsets | Zebra HS3100, Honeywell SRX3, Jabra Perform 75, Trident ModCom 1 |
| Pairing method | NFC tap-to-pair, or standard Bluetooth pairing |
Zebra RS5100 specifications
| Scan engine | SE4710 standard range, or SE4770 / SR560 with global shutter and laser cross-hair aimer |
|---|---|
| Scan range | SE4710: 5.08 cm to 76.2 cm (2.0 in to 30.0 in) on 20 mil Code 39. SE4770 / SR560: 2.8 cm to 91.7 cm (1.1 in to 36.1 in) |
| Symbologies | Full 1D and 2D set including GS1 DataBar, PDF417, DataMatrix, QR and postal codes; OCR-A and OCR-B |
| Battery | 480 mAh standard or 735 mAh extended, PowerPrecision+; Zebra rates 12 hours and 14,400 scans on the standard battery |
| Weight | 70 g (2.47 oz) |
| Wearing styles | Single-finger mount (single, double or top trigger), Enterprise Hand Mount, back-of-hand mount, retracting lanyard |
| Operating temperature | 0 °C to +50 °C with the standard battery; -20 °C to +50 °C with the extended battery |
| Drop / tumble / sealing | Multiple 1.8 m (6 ft) drops to concrete across the operating temperature range; 1,000 tumbles at 0.5 m; IP65 |
| Wireless | Bluetooth Class 1 and 2, v4.0 or v5.2 depending on configuration, with BLE; NFC tap-to-pair |
Specifications from Zebra’s published RS5100 specification sheet. Battery temperature ratings differ between the standard and extended batteries; confirm the configuration with Zebra or your Voxware account team.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zebra RS5100 certified for Voxware VMS?
Yes. The Zebra RS5100 is on Voxware’s certified hardware list for the Voice Management System, alongside the Zebra RS6000 and RS6100. Certification means Voxware has tested the scanner with VMS and supports it in production.
Why use a ring scanner with voice picking at all?
Voice removes the screen, but most operations still want a barcode scan to verify the item, the location, or both. A handheld scanner puts a device back into the hand voice just freed. A ring scanner keeps both hands on the product and triggers with a thumb or finger, so the workflow stays genuinely hands-free end to end.
Can the RS5100 capture GS1 lot and expiration data?
Yes. The RS5100 reads the full 1D and 2D symbology set including GS1 DataBar and DataMatrix, so lot numbers, expiration dates and serial data encoded in GS1 barcodes can be captured at the point of pick rather than at a separate verification step.
Can the RS5100 be used in a freezer?
It depends on the battery. With the standard battery the RS5100 is rated from 0 °C, which does not cover freezer work. With the extended battery it is rated to -20 °C, which covers chilled and light cold storage. For a true freezer deployment matching the WT6300’s -30 °C rating, the RS6100 with its extended battery is the better match.
How many scans does an RS5100 battery last?
Zebra rates the standard 480 mAh battery at 12 hours and 14,400 scans on a single charge. An extended 735 mAh battery is also available. Zebra describes the RS5100 as able to support back-to-back shifts by swapping batteries.
How is the RS5100 worn?
Five interchangeable ways: a single-finger mount with a single, double or top-mounted trigger; the Enterprise Hand Mount in multiple sizes for either hand; a back-of-hand mount; and a retracting lanyard mount. Comfort over a full shift is what determines whether pickers use a scanner as intended, so the choice matters more than it first appears.
Which mobile computers does the RS5100 pair with?
It pairs over Bluetooth with Zebra enterprise mobile computers, and Zebra’s own RS5100 material names the WT6300 wearable and the TC52 handheld specifically. Within Voxware’s certified list that covers the WT6300 and the certified Zebra handhelds. Pairing is an NFC tap or standard Bluetooth.
What is the difference between the RS5100 and the RS6100?
The RS5100 is the mainstream workhorse and the usual default. The RS6100 is newer, uses the longer-range SE55 engine reaching up to 12.2 m, and with its extended battery is rated to -30 °C rather than -20 °C. They share triggers, batteries and most mounts, so moving between them is straightforward.
Is the RS5100 rugged enough for a distribution center?
Yes. It withstands multiple 1.8 m drops to concrete across its full operating temperature range, 1,000 tumbles at 0.5 m, and is sealed to IP65 against dust and water jets.
Do I need a ring scanner to run Voxware?
No. Voxware works with voice confirmation and check digits alone, and many sites run that way. A ring scanner is worth adding where you want barcode-level proof of the pick, where lot or expiration capture is required, or where scanning is already part of the process and you want to keep it without giving up hands-free working.
See where scanning belongs in your voice workflow
Bring your pick data. We will show you a live Voxware dashboard built around the KPIs you already manage to, and talk through where a scan earns its place in the workflow and where voice alone is faster.
Zebra and its product names are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corp. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. Voxware is an independent software provider; product images are courtesy of the manufacturer and used to identify certified hardware.
See all Voxware certified hardware · Other certified ring scanners: Zebra RS6100, Zebra RS6000