Wireless Shopping Carts Run Windows CE

An anonymous reader writes "Fujitsu has introduced a self-service retail scanner that could make long checkout lines a relic of the past. The U-Scan Shopper is a ruggedized XScale-based wireless computer with an integral bar code scanner, running Windows CE 4.2, and mounted on a shopping cart. The company even suggests that customers might upload a shopping list to the store's website before leaving home, and then download the list to the shopping cart upon arriving at the store."

Re:Vulnerability in Fujitsu Wireless Shopping Cart

[Gunsmithy]

It does, doesn't it? Maybe they'd have a weighing system in that to combat it: i.e. you put a pound of dutch loaf in the cart. That detects a pound, you scan it, and that pound is now accounted for. Dock with a POS terminal that checks your weight after scanning vs. weight when passing through, do a checksum...and if everything meets a standard deviation or two, it goes through. 'course, that's just my guess.

Bad idea

[Anonymous Coward]

I work at a grocery store and the bags are at the front of the cashier tables (infact I just got home from work). The bags at our store are usually guarded by cashiers, but many bags are still in boxes up at the front open so cashiers and 'bag boys' can conviently refill their racks easily. Many customers already try to steal bags from the front and bag their groceries as they shop and then attempt to leave the store. Its unbelievable how gullable they think we are: "Im sorry Sir, you did not pay for those items, we will have to ask you to either pay for them, or return them". Automated scanner running Windows CE. I can already see technology gurus whipping up a hack to get free food.

Won't someone think of the children.

[CastrTroy]

I for one welcome the day when every job is replaced by a computer, and we all become people who just program and look after the computers. Seriously, if you implement this, automate McD's with machines, and automate the gas pumps, they'll be no more jobs for high school kids. And with ever increasing tuition costs, nobody will be able to afford college.

Second Verse, same as the first

[pangur]

I used to work for Pathmark, a grocery shore chain in the Northeast US (specifically NY). About ten years ago the put on all their carts a screen that would notify them of specials in different lanes. You could accept coupons as they were sent to the screen.

I thought it was going to be the next wave of the future.

Within nine months, every cart had the system stripped out.

I don't know the exact reason the system was pulled (I had stopped working there by then). It was flaky, didn't always change display based on aisle, and some panels were broken, either by extreme weather (-20F that winter) or on purpose. Those are not trivial losses for a business with a tiny profit margin.

I use the self-serve checkout stands when I can. Some work fine, others keep telling me to start over from the beginning. Either way is slower than having someone else do it.

All I'm saying, is that it had better be a damn good piece of technology that saves some money on the backend before we see this stuff available at the local supermarket.

Re:Good idea but

[jm92956n]

When are they actually going to come up with something that will save you money at the grocery store.

It's not about saving you money, it's about saving them money.

I work part-time at a grocery store (and 9 credits short of a masters', too), and I know how unreliable cashiers are. They call out sick. A lot. Or they simply don't show up. And then there's the whole thing about having to provide benefits--these are all expenses, and the food industry (outside of 5 star restaurants) is notoriously low margin. They have to save money where they can.

To further compound the situation, the grocery industry is facing increased competition from WalMart, everyone's "favorite" discount store. I'm in an area that's, for now at least, immune to behometh, but other areas aren't.

Perhaps you remember the prolonged grocery store workers' strike that occurred last year in California? It was because they simply can't afford to have that many workers on the books. The UPC revolutionized the industry and enormously increased the efficiency of the average cashier. Here's a technology that'll produce even more savings (for the store, of course). Even if a few less-than desirable people use it as an opportunity to walk out of the store with unpaid food, they'll still probably make out in the end.

Oh, and the reason for the open coolers? The stores have to be air-conditioned anyway (heat does evil things to food), so it doesn't make much sense to put doors on any of the cases except the frozen products, especially when lazy people object to having to put forth the effort required to continuously open doors.

Are they constructing traffic pattern maps?

[Cryofan]

I wonder if they are sending back postition signals for collection while you are pushing the cart throughout the store. That way they could map traffic pattern and speeds of all shoppers and use that for marketing analysis....

Re:this should fail

[rkcallaghan]

What is so difficult about going through a check out line? You might have to talk to a real person? Oh, how terrible.

High School Flunkie Cashier: Do you have a Value Membership Card Ma'am?

Me: No.

HSFC: Oh would you like one? You can see all of our great savings!

Me: No.

HSFC: Okay then could I get your telephone number and zip code please?

Me: No.

HSFC: Are you sure? We could use that to save your the hassle of having to bring a card with you?

Me: No.

HSFC: Alright then ... *rings up items*, *bags your food hastily, frustrated with your lack of 'cooperation'*

HSFC: Would you like to donate to the save the endangered cockroaches fund? 5% of every dollar goes to a real cockroach!

Me: No.

HSFC: Okay then will that be cash or charge?

Me: Cash. *hands HSFC a $20 bill*

Me: Excuse me, you shorted me a dollar.

HSFC: Oh I'm sorry, I can't open the drawer without a sale, could you wait to the side until this next customer is finished?

*head explodes*

At least at the local grocery store I shop at, which has a self check out, it STFU's the first time you say no, and gives correct change.

~Rebecca

Re:Good idea but

[Ced_Ex]

Oh, and the reason for the open coolers? The stores have to be air-conditioned anyway (heat does evil things to food), so it doesn't make much sense to put doors on any of the cases except the frozen products, especially when lazy people object to having to put forth the effort required to continuously open doors.

So what happens when they need to heat the store? Say, like in winter? Seems to be counter productive to heat and cool a store.

Re:Vulnerability in Fujitsu Wireless Shopping Cart

[MBCook]

True. But every food manufacturer could raise their prices 1 cent. That wouldn't make much of a difference to anyone.

But for the consumer, prices would drop because stores wouldn't need to keep a bunch of baggers and checkout people around. That's lower overhead, so they wouldn't need their prices as high for the same proffit. The stores would be willing to pay that extra cent (or five) from every food manufacturer to be able to get the RFID product so they could reap the benefit of not needing all those personel.

It should work out.

Re:Good idea but

[bluGill]

Have you done a HVAC evaluation of a store? Don't jump to conclusions too quick, in many cases these stores need to run the AC anyway until the temperature is -10f. Body heat accounts for quite a bit. Particularly when there is other equipment that gives off heat as a by-product.

As the other guy said, cold air tends to sit in the coolers, not raise up. The effect is there, but it isn't as significant as you would guess.

All this assumes that the fridges vent the excess heat outside, which is not true for all of them.

Re:These are going to be stolen, and hacked.

[roseblood]

Fujitsu lists the following key features and specifications for the U-Scan Shopper:

* Processor -- 400 MHz Intel XScale
* Memory -- 64 or 128 MB SDRAM; 32 MB Flash
* Display:
o 6.5-inch reflective TFT LCD with VGA resolution
o CCFL backlight with software controls
o Temperature-based contrast compensation
* Wireless -- 802.11b or g; built-in 2.4 GHz antenna
* Scanning -- 2D imager
* Power:
o Main -- 2 6V, 7.2 aH sealed lead acid batteries in locked case
o Backup -- rechargeable lithium ion
o Piezo motion sensor implements power standby mode

Let me tell you, I'd take this thing over the metal wire carts I see stores provide around here!

Re:Second Verse, same as the first

[jrumney]

The self-checkout stands are great except for that they're never any faster. Why? The people using them are morons.

When they were first introduced here, like self-checkin at the airport they were faster to use because everyone else was scared of using them so there were no queues. Now that everyone uses them, it is faster to pick the cutest checkout operator and join her queue.

Part of the problem is that the ones here use scales to check that what you scan is what you put in your shopping bag, and the system keeps getting people to rescan things because the weight doesn't quite match or they were too slow putting it in the bag, or they needed to start a new bag, and if they were scanning at half the speed that a checkout operator does, they've scanned three more things since what the system is complaining about, so they end up rescanning the wrong thing and needing assistance from the checkout supervisor to fix up the whole mess.

So I don't think the morons have much to do with it really. Its just quicker to have someone who's experienced with the scanner and knows its quirks, trusted to not need the backup scales (though they probably have a camera watching them, so they're not completely trusted), and authorized to cancel the odd item and rescan when needed (though often they've exceeded their limit and need the supervisor to come and authorize it anyway in my local).

Re:Second Verse, same as the first

[Bent Mind]

I generally find the self-checkout lanes much faster. The morons in my area tend to use the regular lanes and avoid self-checkout. The units I've used don't bother with audio unless you wait for them to talk. I do prefer the units that let you sign electronicly. What's the point of self-checkout if you have to wait for a cashier? My major complaint is that all of the stores in my area insist on turning the units off at 10PM. They seem to think it's better to have 30 people wait in line for the single cashier that works at night.