Virtually every exhibitor at the NRF Big Show was showing at least some products that could have been reported under this headline. If I had to choose a single trend from the NRF, I would say it was the widespread application of computer vision and image processing as inputs to analytics, big data and store management. When I went to NRF’s 2017 Big Show, machine vision in the retail environment didn’t seem mature enough or ready for widespread field installation. This year I got no such feeling – vendors were not only talking about what vision technology could do, they were talking about installations in retailer’s stores.
Trax booth at the NRF (Credit: M. Brennesholtz)
Trax is said to be the world leader in computer vision solutions for retail, ranking in the top 25 Fastest Growing Companies on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list. Its image processing products are similar to the ones shown in the Innovation Lab by Fellow Robots or Inspector Cloud. (NRF: The Innovation Lab & Startup Pavilion I: Robots)
As an alternative to a mobile robot camera used by those companies, Trax uses low-cost wireless cameras that can be mounted permanently on shelves to monitor the shelf on the other side of the aisle. These cameras are said to have a two year battery life. In addition to the inventory control and misplaced product information provided by mobile robots, fixed cameras can also be used for theft prevention and detection since they can monitor the shelves 24/7. (Theft by employees is a significant issue for retail stores.) Trax also provides image recognition software to product representatives, e.g. Coca Cola, that allows the reps to use hand-held cameras, e.g. smartphones, to image the company’s products on store shelves. These images are then analyzed by Trax to provide feedback on product placement and shelf design.
EnterWorks software allows retail customers to access all information about a store’s products. (Credit: EnterWorks)
EnterWorks‘ main business is providing Product Information Management (PIM) and Master Data Management (MDM) to a variety of industries, including retail. Their software is specially designed to support the omni-channel marketing where all customers are provided the same information whether they are in a store, using a mobile app or on-line with a web browser. Rick Chavie, CEO of EnterWorks, told me the company was also working on AR and VR applications for retail, although neither was on display at the booth. In terms of AR, he said, “Think Pokémon Go.” In terms of VR, he said it was not for customer use, rather it was for store design and development by the retail chain and others.
He said their software can map a physical store to the website. This allows the customer to plan her visit to the store ahead of time and not waste time in the store looking for what she wants.
He added that the company started as a software provider for the government and military, also very strong users of image recognition and “big data” software, especially after 9/11. He said the software used for retail is derived from this software originally developed for the government.
