Target tested a robot in-store that tracks inventory on store shelves. The retailer conducted a one-week trial at one of its department stores in downtown San Francisco.
The robot, called Tally, which is designed by Simbe Robotics to automatically roam stores, checking whether a shelf needs restocking; whether a product has been misplaced or poorly arranged; and whether the prices shown are correct.
The robot consists of a wheeled platform with four cameras that scan the shelves on either side from the floor up to a height of eight feet. It uses a map of the store to navigate, and the shelf layout is used to compare the actual shelves to the ideal plan. The data collected by the robot is transmitted to a server, where it is analysed, and alerts can be sent to store staff.
A robot that can check that shelves are correctly stocked could be extremely important to retailers as it removes the need for staff to conduct stock check which is very time consuming and should help ensure that shoppers can get the products they want.
