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AUTOMATION

Amazon tests its “Just Walk Out” system as the first step towards a touchless future

Source: Amazon
Grocery stores could be where a touchless future begins as Amazon readies its automated checkout technology for full-sized grocery stores. This announcement, along with Amazon’s palm-scanning payment technology and other biometric tech used in airports hints at a not-so-distant future filled with more automated experiences.

The test — Amazon has been working on its “Just Walk Out” system for years now, not only for its own grocery stores but with the potential to package and resell it to others (like it did with AWS and Amazon Care). The company has plans for a store in Brookfield, Connecticut, with a sales floor 3x larger than any other store that currently uses the system.

“Just Walk Out” — Shoppers will be able to enter these locations by swiping their smartphones. Once inside, each shopper is tracked by camera arrays, software algorithms, and shelf sensors. Upon exiting the building through designated gates, they get charged for what they take. All without a cashier or touching their wallets.

How it could go — If Amazon can successfully implement this technology, this could become another AWS solution for many industries. This touchless future could threaten millions of cashier jobs, but could also streamline the shopping experience for those who opt-in. As Amazon will be tracking what you look like, what you buy, and which stores you go to, privacy concerns could increase and call for greater transparency — or the ability to opt-out.