Deploy AI For Smart Retail With MiTAC MA1

September 10, 2024

Sponsored Story

AI has made its mark on just about every aspect of our lives, from professional to consumer, from medical care to autonomous vehicles. Retail applications are certainly no exception.

For example, when you couple AI with a vision system, you can significantly enhance the self-checkout processes by automating and streamlining several key tasks. The combination of AI and vision systems in self-checkout applications leads to accurate, efficient, and secure transactions, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction while reducing operational costs for retailers.

For example, the integration of AI-driven vision systems allows for real-time object recognition, which can accurately identify products without relying solely on barcodes. This capability is crucial for items like fresh produce or bulk goods, where traditional barcodes may not be present.

AI can also detect and correct common issues during self-checkout, such as scanning errors or missed items. For instance, if a customer inadvertently forgets to scan an item, the AI vision system can identify the discrepancy and prompt the user to correct it. In addition, AI can assist in loss prevention by identifying suspicious behavior or potential theft, and alerting store personnel if necessary.

Moreover, AI systems can learn from customer behavior patterns to improve the overall self-checkout experience, making it faster and more intuitive. This might include optimizing user interfaces, offering personalized promotions, or even adjusting the system based on real-time customer feedback.

Consumer Behavior Analysis

The image shows how AI combines with vision systems to enhance a customer’s behavior in an automated shop/store. It can track movements, product interactions, and shopping patterns. Analyzing this data lets retailers optimize product placement, streamline the checkout processes, and recommend products, creating a more efficient and tailored shopping experience.

With the right hardware and software in place, a retail establishment can greatly benefit by understanding the behavior of its customers. The figure above shows each of those various aspects, which start from the moment the customer enters the establishment until the time he/she exits.

That same AI plus vision system can significantly enhance consumer behavior analysis in retail by providing detailed insights into how customers interact with products and store layouts. In some scenarios, the integration of AI and vision systems can provide retailers with a powerful tool to make data-driven decisions, leading to increased sales and a more engaging shopping environment.

Vision systems can track customer movements, identifying patterns such as which aisles they visit most, how long they spend in certain areas, and which products they handle or pick up. AI processes this data to identify trends and preferences, enabling retailers to optimize store layouts, product placements, and promotional strategies. For instance, AI can suggest the best locations for high-demand items or recommend reconfiguring displays to increase the visibility of certain products.

Additionally, AI-driven vision systems can analyze customer demographics, such as age and gender, to tailor marketing efforts more effectively. By understanding the nuances of consumer behavior, AI helps retailers personalize shopping experiences, improve inventory management, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Another key benefit of the combined AI vision system comes in the form of customer satisfaction, which can be improved by creating more personalized and efficient shopping. For example, by monitoring customer behaviors in real-time, AI can track which products a customer frequently interacts with, enabling the system to offer personalized recommendations, promotions, or assistance.

AI can also streamline checkout processes by reducing wait times, as previously described. This not only makes the shopping experience faster but also reduces the likelihood of errors. Moreover, AI-driven vision systems can enhance in-store navigation by guiding customers to the products they’re looking for or suggesting complementary items. This tailored assistance helps customers find what they need quickly and efficiently, leading to a more satisfying shopping experience.

MiTAC’s MA1 In Smart Retail

Aimed at just such applications, the MiTAC MA1 is a robust Edge AI computer that can be effectively utilized in a smart checkout system to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of retail operations. The platform is based on NVIDIA’s Jetson Orin Nano and NX SOM, providing a performance level of up to 100 TOPS/25 W. Its integration into such a system enables real-time processing of complex data streams, making it ideal for environments that require fast and reliable computations, such as retail checkouts.

Equipped with powerful processing capabilities and advanced machine learning algorithms, the compact, fanless MiTAC MA1 can support various components of a smart checkout system. For instance, when coupled with a vision system, it can analyze video feeds from cameras positioned at checkout stations to recognize products, even in the absence of barcodes. This allows for seamless item identification, reducing the need for manual input and speeding up the checkout process. Other features of the MA1 include HDMI with up to 4K@60 Hz resolution, dual 1-Gbit/s Ethernet LAN, dual USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, and support for 5G/LTE and WiFi-6E.

The device’s AI capabilities also enable it to detect potential issues such as scanning errors, unscanned items, or unusual customer behavior, thereby improving the accuracy and security of transactions. Additionally, the MiTAC MA1 can process and analyze customer behavior data in real time, offering insights into shopping patterns and preferences, which can be used to tailor the checkout experience and provide personalized recommendations or promotions.

Furthermore, its ability to handle large volumes of data and its connectivity features make it a valuable component in a network of smart devices within a retail environment. The MA1 can communicate with other in-store systems, such as inventory management or customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, ensuring that the checkout process is not only fast and accurate but also integrated with the establishment’s broader retail operations.

Coupled with the MiVue A60

The MiVue A60, a high-performance USB-based camera, is designed to complement the MA1, forming a powerful solution for AI-driven smart retail environments. Both products hail from MiTAC, reflecting the company’s expertise in camera technology and Edge AI solutions. The MiVue A60 is equipped with an F1.8 aperture and Sony’s advanced STARVISTM sensor, ensuring exceptional video quality, even in low-light conditions. It captures full HD 1080P footage at 30 frames/s with a 130-degree wide-angle view, making it ideal for product recognition. This high-quality video feed is seamlessly processed by the MA1’s robust Edge AI capabilities, enabling real-time analytics, smart check-out processes, and unmanned store applications.

The MA1 analyzes the video data in real time, utilizing machine learning algorithms to recognize products, monitor customer behavior, and detect anomalies at checkout stations. For instance, the A60 can capture footage of customers interacting with products, while the MA1 processes this data to identify items, even without visible barcodes, and track customer movements within the store.

This combination allows for efficient and accurate item recognition, reducing errors in the checkout process and enhancing the overall shopping experience. Additionally, the MA1 can use the data from the A60 to detect suspicious activities, helping prevent shoplifting theft and improve store security. Together, the MiVue A60 and MA1 create a seamless, AI-powered system that enhances operational efficiency, personalizes customer experiences, and bolsters security in smart retail environments.

Contact MiTAC to learn how the company’s embedded Edge computers can combine with video products to create a seamless AI solution for smart retail applications.