How embedded vision is redefining the retail sector

The retail sector has seen many technological innovations over the years. The invention of calculators made billing easy while the advent of computers made it even easier. Computers also made other processes like inventory management and stockkeeping more convenient. Though these advancements saw quick adoption in other industries, they took time to find their way into the retail sector. Except for a few early innovators, many hesitated to use computers stating high capital cost.

However, they all soon realized the long-term benefits of using them in terms of convenience and saving costs. Similar is the case with embedded vision in retail. Product developers probably stayed away from developing imaging-based systems owing to the same reluctance observed among retail store owners to embrace new technologies.

As in the case of computers, retailers are now finding multiple benefits of using embedded cameras for their daily activities such as:

  • Higher productivity and more efficient operations.
  • Reduced labor cost due to the ability to automate certain tasks that could not be automated without the help of cameras.
  • Reduced errors and product expiry owing to the ability to automatically keep track of the stock and inventory.
  • More data and better insights into customers’ shopping behavior, which in turn leads to better sales and improved customer experience.

The benefits are endless. But how do retailers today leverage camera technology to automate processes and reduce costs? What are the different camera systems used in a retail store? What are the tasks performed by them?

Find answers to all these in this blog post.

Applications of embedded vision in retail

Everyone talks about the future of AI. But most ignore the complementing technologies that help make the most out of AI’s capabilities. Camera modules are a great example of this. For AI and computer vision algorithms to do various kinds of analyses, images and videos need to be captured with a high level of detail. This is now possible only with advancements in embedded camera technology.

Embedded cameras of the past were of low resolution and the output from them was difficult even for human interpretation. However, today, camera modules used in retail and industrial applications come with resolutions higher than 10MP, which has led to a significant transformation. This is because AI and ML algorithms can now analyze images with necessary details to derive insights that were not possible in the past.

With these recent developments, the following are some of the ‘coolest’ applications of embedded cameras in retail:

  1. Autonomous shopping
  2. Smart surveillance
  3. Telepresence/tele-existence
  4. Smart signages

Autonomous shopping

Autonomous shopping by far is the most popular embedded vision application in the retail space. They help automate the entire process of shopping by integrating hardware and software components. On the hardware side, you have camera modules that capture images of objects while AI and ML-based software algorithms interpret the data to identify items in the shopping cart.

There are primarily 3 types of camera systems used for enabling autonomous shopping:

  • Automated checkout system: Automated checkout devices are placed at the checkout counter where the products can be placed in the cameras’ field of view for identification.
  • Smart cart devices: These include cameras and a processing unit placed in the shopping trolley itself.
  • Roof-mounted cameras/shelf monitoring cameras: These are camera units placed on the roof, walls, or retail shelves for inventory tracking, object identification, and people counting.

In all three cases, cameras with high frame rates and color reproduction capabilities are used so that everything from packages to fruits and vegetables can be identified. Automating the process of billing and checkout completely using cameras offers the following advantages:

  • Reduces cost over the long term with a lower number of retail staff.
  • Enhances shopping experience since shoppers don’t have to wait in long queues anymore.
  • Makes inventory management easy and timely.
  • Ability to analyze the image data captured that can be used for further optimizing the shopping experience (improving retail store layout and product placement for example).

Autonomous shopping systems typically use multi-camera systems to ensure that they get a complete view of the product. In most cases, a single point of view might not suffice to capture the object well enough to be identified by the computer vision algorithm. In autonomous checkout and smart trolley systems, a combination of 3 to 4 cameras is used.

Some of the critical features of cameras used for autonomous shopping include:

  • High frame rate and/or global shutter. For some use cases, a global shutter camera might be needed while in others, a high frame rate camera with a rolling shutter would be sufficient.
  • Multi-camera synchronization.
  • High dynamic range. This is required in cases where the light intensity keeps varying.
  • Long-distance transmission. Since the camera could be placed far from the processing unit, a long-distance camera interface like FPD-Link or GMSL is recommended.

Read more about how embedded vision is changing autonomous shopping here: Embedded Vision in Autonomous Shopping – Transforming Shopping Experiences.

Smart surveillance

Using embedded cameras for smart surveillance is a practice that is followed across the industrial, commercial, and retail sectors. In retail settings, cameras are installed at the entrance, perimeter, and inner areas of the store. These cameras help with functions such as:

  • People counting and crowd analytics.
  • Ensuring security 24/7, even during non-operational hours.
  • Collect valuable data on shopping behavior and patterns, especially when it comes to analyzing traffic to the store across different times of day, days of the week, and months of the year.

A smart surveillance camera

Depending on where the cameras are used in the retail store’s premises, the necessary features might also change. For instance, a camera used for perimeter surveillance will require night vision capabilities to ensure 24×7 operation. It should also have high durability and the ability to withstand external weather conditions, in which case a camera with an IP-rated enclosure is recommended.

Telepresence/tele-existence

Telepresence or tele-existence is a relatively new application of embedded cameras in retail stores. While autonomous shopping has gained much popularity, only a handful of retailers use tele-existence. This is usually achieved by using robots that can be remotely operated using a software interface. They perform primarily two functions:

  • Manage stock and inventory remotely during non-operational hours. This is a breakthrough in the robotics space where the employee doesn’t necessarily have to be physically present at the store to move and manage stock. The robot’s arms can be remotely operated to pick and place items on retail shelves and move them from one place to another. Some telepresence robots come with the ability to autonomously navigate as well, reducing the effort required by the employee to operate the robot. These robots use high-resolution cameras to make this possible.
  • For communication between employees in different locations. In comparison with traditional video calls, telepresence using robots offers a more interactive experience to employees with the ability to easily move the robot around. Telepresence robots are also used for virtual walkthroughs. In addition, they come in handy for technical support when the technician or support staff is based out of a different location. Embedded cameras make this experience smooth for employees and retail staff.

Smart Signage

Digital signage is used today in retail stores to enhance the shopping experience as well as serve personalized ads to customers. A concept called smart mirrors has lately become trending in the retail world where users can get a feel of how an outfit would look on them by looking at an AR (Augmented Reality) enabled mirror. This reduced the need to go to the changing room every time a customer picked a new item to try on. Smart mirrors use embedded cameras to achieve this by capturing the video of customers in real time.

Smart advertising uses cameras to capture images of people who pass by. They use AI and ML algorithms to figure out their demographic characteristics. This data is then used to show personalized ads to people. Retail stores can leverage digital signages to promote products in the store based on parameters such as age group, gender, height, etc.

For example, if a woman passes by, an ad promoting products for women can be shown. Retail stores can also use the data they get from digital signages to analyze the demographic distribution of their customers, based on which they can modify their product placement and proportion.  

Digital signage also offers retail stores an opportunity to earn additional revenue. They can use the smart advertising technology to run paid ads for the brands and products available in their store. Since ads are charged only when somebody views them, brands can be assured that they are getting the right amount of exposure.

Read more about how smart signages are changing advertising here: Revolutionizing Offline Advertising With Smart Signages and Embedded Vision

TechNexion – camera modules for modern retail experiences

TechNexion has been in the embedded systems space for more than 2 decades now. We have built numerous products including embedded cameras, system on modules, panel computing solutions, etc. Of these, embedded cameras have started gaining significant traction recently, the primary reasons being the quality of the products and the engineering expertise we bring to the table.

Our portfolio includes cameras that are specially designed for retail applications, whether it’s for autonomous shopping, robotics, or surveillance. Watch the below video to learn more about our embedded vision solutions.

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