just walk out – Social Blog

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What would shopping look like if you just grab what you want and walk out? Six years ago Amazon started the development of a new kind of technology: just walk out. After development, Amazon implemented this technology in the first real-life Amazon Go shop. Customers download the Amazon Go app and use the app to enter the store. After check-in customers can start shopping. Every product you put up will be transferred to your virtual cart. If you change your mind about a product you can put it back, it will automatically be erased from your online account. Normally, if you are done shopping, you have to wait in line to pay your goods, but with this new technology you just walk out^{1, 2}.

What kinds of technologies are used?

Amazon combined technologies that are used to develop self-driving cars: computer vision, sensor fusion and artificial intelligence¹.Therefor Amazon can collect data, which tracks your movement in the Amazon Go shop. Weight sensors in the shelves detect which product a customer took and which product they put back. If the customer leaves the shop, the online account will be charged³.

What is the downside of Amazon Go?

In December 2016 the first prototype of the Amazon Go shop opened in Seattle. After a few months several technical problems appeared. One of the problems with the just walk out technology was that it breaks down if there are more than 20 people in the Amazon Go shop. The system has difficulties following more than 20 individuals and tracking all the products in the bags or shelves⁴.

It is my opinion that (if all problems are solved) this technology has great potential. Especially, the part that it saves you time because you don’t have to be in line at the cash register. Another advantage is that you don’t need your wallet anymore, just your mobile phone. Other supermarket chains should invest in Amazon’s technology.

Sources:

Amazon Go: a new way of shopping

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