May: top ten coolest retail technology plays
RTIH Editor, Scott Thompson, brings you his stand out ‘future of retail’ systems deployments from last month, including augmented reality movie experiences, automated shopping for racing fans, and rapid grocery delivery services.
Domino’s and Netflix
Domino’s is teaming with Netflix to launch an immersive mind ordering app experience which places “test subjects” inside Hawkins National Lab in Hawkins, Indiana – transporting them to the centre of the hit show Stranger Things in 1986.
The app uses facial recognition and eye tracking technology to allow test subjects to use their “powers” to order pizza by making certain facial expressions and head movements.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has enlisted Refraction AI to deploy a fleet of the startup’s self-driving vehicles to two of its restaurants in downtown Austin, Texas.
The commercial pilot will begin in late June.
"Autonomous delivery using Refraction's robots creates an exciting new opportunity to extend the Chick-fil-A experience to a growing number of delivery guests," says Luke Steigmeyer of Chick-fil-A.
"The platform will allow us to provide fast, high quality, and cost-effective meal delivery within a mile radius of our restaurant all while helping to keep the community we serve environmentally clean and safe."
Walmart
Walmart is set to expand its DroneUp delivery network to 34 sites by the end the year, providing the potential to reach four million US households across six states – Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
The move provides the ability to deliver over one million packages by drone in a year.
Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., customers will be able to order from tens of thousands of eligible items for delivery by air in as little as 30 minutes. The total weight of delivery is up to 10lbs and the fee is $3.99.
Walmart is also planning to scale its drone infrastructure, offering local businesses and municipalities aerial drone solutions in areas like insurance, emergency response and real estate.
Marks and Spencer
Across two days last month, M&S hosted its fifth 24 hour hackathon, where 18 teams of over 200 colleagues developed digital and data solutions to opportunities on offer to the retailer.
The event takes place every six months and is powered by the BEAM Academy, the home of all things digital and data learning at M&S.
Netto
Netto is testing out a shopping cart from Imagr that scans items and handles payment, enabling shoppers to skip checkout queues.
This is currently live at Kirkegårdsvej in Copenhagen, and it will shortly also be found at Kongelundsvej in Copenhagen, Runevej in Aarhus, Bybuen in Skovlunde and Virum.
The shopper’s smartphone is connected to the shopping cart via the Netto+ app. When the cart is filled with goods, these are automatically registered with the user receiving a digital receipt.
The trial is set to run until July.
boohoo
Fast fashion big hitter boohoo has partnered with four female artists from the NFT community (Amy Kilner, Reem El, Aoife O’Dwyer and Shar.eth) to create an “affordable and inclusive avatar collection”.
The artists created 230 unique traits and features, with a range of these consisting of statement fashion pieces from boohoo’s product range.
Using these traits, the pureplay came up with a collection of 30,000 avatars which aim to represent the diversity of its community.
Chipotle
Mexican fast food chain Chipotle is now accepting cryptocurrency payments through Flexa at its 2,950+ USA-based restaurants.
Chipotle will offer all the 98 cryptocurrencies Flexa currently supports, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and seven US dollar pegged stablecoins.
AiFi
AiFi has enabled autonomous shopping for racing fans at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
The event took place from 6th-8th May at the Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States.
It was the first edition of the Miami Grand Prix and the fifth round of the 2022 Formula One World Championship.
Tesco Whoosh
Tesco has teamed up with Uber Eats to help expand its Whoosh rapid grocery delivery service.
The supermarket giant launched Whoosh, which aims to deliver food and drinks in under 60 minutes, in May 2021 and it now covers 200 Express outlets across the UK.
The deal with Uber launches from 20 stores, including Edinburgh, Bradford, Portsmouth, Norwich, St Albans and Letchworth.
Tesco says that the partnership will help towards the target of offering the service from 600 locations by the end of 2022.
Perfect Corp.
Perfect Corp. has launched a Top Gun: Maverick interactive augmented reality movie experience in its YouCam Makeup app and photo editing app YouCam Perfect.
This features exclusive Top Gun themed looks and animated effects that bring elements from the film to life, like stepping on to the flight deck at dawn, and a chance to get into pilot mode with Tom Cruise’s classic Maverick aviators, powered by Perfect Corp.’s AI virtual eyewear try-on technology.
