Caper's AI-powered shopping carts could represent the future of cashier-free shopping

Polycount

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While it seemed like brick-and-mortar retail would be all but killed off following the explosive rise of online shopping, what we're instead seeing throughout the US is not death, but evolution.

Amazon has already proven with its "Go" stores that, using a combination of AI, sensors, and cameras, a completely cashier-free checkout experience is possible.

However, even if the system pays off in the long-run, it's complex and difficult to scale. Installing and maintaining hundreds (if not thousands) of cameras and sensors across a superstore like Walmart or Target is likely a bit impractical.

That's where Caper comes in. The start-up, founded by CEO Lindon Gao, has been working on an "AI-powered shopping cart" that will let customers simply grab items from store shelves and toss them in.

At that point, Caper says built-in sensors can automatically identify each item and tally up the total price of the cart's contents. At the end of a shopping trip, customers can pay using a built-in payment terminal.

It's easy to see how valuable Caper's solution could be to major retailers. Unlike Amazon Go's camera-based checkout technology, Caper's carts sound much more scalable, without compromising on the promise of cashier-free shopping.

Caper has begun testing its technology in "2 grocery chains," but only in a more limited format for now. Shoppers have to manually scan each item's barcode before placing it in their cart, so the process isn't as automatic as Caper hopes it will be in the future.

However, that could change during the rest of 2019, as Caper says it's hoping to launch its technology across 150 additional store locations throughout the year.

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I'm not impressed. The future carts should read product labels automatically, without customer having to scan each product manually. We already have fridges that can tell what's in them + even product expiration.
 
Company tries to show off futuristic technology, but tells the actress to wear 80s clothes... o_0
It is a futuristic shop for poor people. Poor lady couldn't afford anything better than her moms long sleeve tee from eighties. And you should be ashamed pointing at her status as a low income citizen.
 
Company tries to show off futuristic technology, but tells the actress to wear 80s clothes... o_0
There's specific reason for doing that. My best guess is, that's how the 40 somethings still see themselves. The model appears to be somewhere between 25 to 30.She has a only touch of makeup on, such as an understated light pink lipstick. After all, this is a food store we're talking about, not a wedding reception.

I saw a TV article about Saudi women and their abayas. One woman said, I can throw this on to bounce out to the store, it's like a uniform, and it's very easy to throw on. I don't have to do my hair, or much else. She continued by saying, "underneath, I look like a page in a Victoria's Secret catalog".

So the outfit is a rough (very rough), equivalent of a biker gang's colors, or a Catholic school uniform. Advertisers will do practically anything to trigger class and age identification with the product.

We shouldn't pass judgment, since they're going after Walmart, Target, what's left of Sears, and whatever food chain they can, to pawn that garbage off on, and not we consumers for a change. .

Now when this money grab fad comes into wide spread use, and prices go up because of it, then it's time to b!tch long, loud, and hard, to bring the damned old shopping carts back, bad wheels and all.

This nonsense is a testament to just how lazy, stupid, and naive, people have become. It's just one more obnoxious, "digital get rich quick scheme".

Then there's the concept that it's nice to have cashiers, and it's nice there's still work for them. Some fat douche is tying to get rich by putting people out of work. What do people do when the jobs go away? Why start selling crack and heroin to their neighbors, of course.

Of course in my neighborhood, the young uns simply go direct to selling drugs, bypassing that ugly issue of having a job, just to have it taken away from them..

You people have a remarkable grasp of the obvious, but you're blind to the crap that's being rammed down your throats along with it.
 
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Those of us that have older and wiser heads on our shoulders can see where it all leads but the tragic truth is that the youngsters will think its all normal. Like spy cameras, electric self-driving cars and cellphones permanently grafted to their ears.
 
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