I feel like I already wrote something about the shopping cart a few months back.
There are three patents, one is the standard
shopping cart
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6926291B1/en
the other is from 1998 by IBM.
intelligent shopping cart
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/8a/39/6e/85895f784378cc/US5729697.pdf
Do you recall the IBM commercial where the shaggy guy in the big coat is in the store and starts sticking things in his pockets? He's just grabbing stuff and runs for the door...
Here is the patent that is being discussed today on social media. Is your Shopping Cart smart?
"System and method for a biometric feedback cart handle"
"Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for alerting store associates that a customer may need assistance based on biometric data received from the customer via a shopping cart handle. For example, a server may receive, in near-real-time, baseline biometric data generated at a shopping cart handle, the baseline biometric data being associated with a user of the shopping cart. The server may then receive additional biometric data generated at the shopping cart handle and perform an analysis of both the baseline biometric data and the additional biometric data. By this analysis the server can determine that a check on the user should occur, and can transmit a notification to at least one store associate to perform the check on the user."
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180240554A1/en
It is interesting how the device is designed to detect distress and get an employee. This might actually be helpful when you are trying to find someone. They say the data is meant to be anonymous, and this is allegedly not in use yet but the patent exists. The potential is there.
Also,
‘Shopping Facility Assistance Systems, Devices and Methods’ https://patents.google.com/patent/US10130232B2/en
This one looks like a circular robot that stands up and takes control of the cart.
Tote-to-Person (RoboShuttle)
https://www.geekplus.com/solutions/tote-to-person
These sorting robots are doing things that would take people much longer.
https://www.geekplus.com/technology
Roboshuttle Hyper
https://www.geekplus.com/solutions/tote-to-person/rs-hyper
This robot-tote CLIMBS. It's like a bucket sorting robot I guess?
This would actually be great, it's a new product they are announcing here.
This is totally cool. What would you do with your 5000 robot shopping carts?
That is a big sorting system, imagine having thousands of these droids zipping around!
Amazon Dashcart
"Amazon unveiled its first smart grocery cart on Tuesday morning. The new “Dash Cart,” as it’s known, uses cameras, sensors and a scale to automatically detect and log items on a digital display behind the handle. The technology makes it possible for shoppers to leave the store without going through a traditional checkout line."
Personally I like the idea of sending my Robot to the store, then watching from home and 'assuming control' when there's something I want by asking him to grab this or that, or speaking through it.
What will you do with your Surrogate?
Will you grow distant from your Husband because you live a fake life driving a fake body around?
Soon the droids will walk among us and some might be as lifelike as any of us.
And what will the machine learning models do with their Robot bodies? With swarms?
Have you seen any robots in real life yet? Delivery drones or automatons walking?
@Darkflame