Deploying robots to do things like checking on shelves for stock levels, pricing and detecting misplaced items in supermarket is not new. But still, I think this little guy, called Marty (yes, it has a name!), deserve some mentions because, googly eyes. Marty is one of the hundreds of robots which retail giant, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize USA, put into service at its GIANT/MARTIN’s and Stop & Shop stores across the United States.
Nearly 500 Marty (or Marties?) will be tasked with identify hazards, such as liquid, powder and bulk food item spills, and reporting them to enable corrective action. In addition, it also does what Walmart Shelf-scanning Robots do, like check the items on the shelves for any out of stock situation and report accordingly so that the staff can act on it, and it does price reconciliation too, by checking the prices of the items on the shelves and checking against those at the registers. If there are any discrepancies, a report will be generated for the human staff to address.
All told, 172 supermarkets under the retail giant will have Marty plying the floor doing the aforementioned within the half year. We read the press release and what we have reported is basically it. There’s no mention of why the googly eyes. But by the look of it, I am going to go out on a limb to say the googly eyes are there to make them look more friendly. Seriously, what other reasons could there be? Right? Skip ahead for a video to see Marty in action.
Images: Ahold Delhaize USA/PennLive.com (Sue Gleiter).
Source: Ahold Delhaize USA via Technabob.
