Innovative Retail Laboratory
Research and Innovation for Future Retailing
Dear readers, Since its foundation in 2007 the Innovative Retail Laboratory (IRL) ambitiously pursues the goal of developing new and innovative ideas for future retail and evaluating their possible applications in realistic scenarios. We focus on researching new ways of human-computer interaction and demonstrating their potential uses in real-life exhibits. Future customers, raised with the internet, will ask for more information transparency which can only be ensured by innovative technologies. Developing innovative technologies such as navigation support in the superPDUNHWRUWKHVLPSOL¿FDWLRQRISD\PHQWSURFHVVHVPDNHVWRPRUURZ¶VVKRSSLQJHDVLHU experience-driven and more informative. IRL considers itself not only as a platform for developing intelligent assistance systems but also as a discussion board for scientists, specialists in retail, industry and economy and especially the general public. You are cordially invited to visit us at IRL, St. Wendel, in order to experience our supermarket of the future. Until then, I wish you many exciting and knowledge enhancing moments reading this brochure composed of a selection of our projects and exhibits. Best regards,
Prof. Dr. Antonio Krüger 6FLHQWL¿F'LUHFWRURIWKH,QQRYDWLYH5HWDLO/DERUDWRU\
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Dear readers, 7KHFRRSHUDWLRQEHWZHHQWKH*HUPDQ5HVHDUFK&HQWHUIRU$UWL¿FLDO,QWHOOLJHQFH ')., DQG*OREXVFORVHO\FRQQHFWVVFLHQWL¿FUHVHDUFKDQGSUD[LVLQRXUFRPSDQ\LQDQHZZD\ In this process Globus provides data of practical relevance for research and the chance of evaluating innovations in real retail environment. The IRL perceives and meets the customers‘ needs while shopping, also regarding demographic changes, with various approaches. Therefore the IRL gives important impulses to the future orientation of our hypermarkets up to the development of operational V\VWHPV7KH³SURGXFW¿QGHU´IRUH[DPSOHWHVWHGLQRXUVWRUHLQ6DDUEUFNHQ*GLQJHQ is a real orientation guide for our customers and therefore helps increasing customer satisfaction. 7KH,5/DQGLWVUHVHDUFKREMHFWVDFKLHYHGLVWLQFWEHQH¿WVIRURXUFXVWRPHUVDQGWKHUHIRUH help to increase the services of Globus for its customers in the medium term. Looking ahead it is noticeable that the laboratory‘s research results also help us moving forward in terms of differentiation from competitors. For Saarland, as a home to technology corporations, the IRL laboratory is an institution which is renowned beyond the state and stands for creativity in research. I am looking forward to an ongoing and productive cooperation.
Thomas Bruch Managing Partner of Globus Group
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Visions of the Innovative Retail Laboratory Researching the Supermarket of the Future
The Innovative Retail Laboratory gives a visionary outlook for future retailing. Future systems will support the user‘s growing mobility and at the same time allow you to use assistance systems in a natural and intuitive way. Only the fusion of information from various sources and its semantic interpretation can transform information into knowledge. Developing these intelligent assistance systems for customers and employees is the core vision of the IRL.
The Internet of Things and Services makes it possible to increase transparency of goods for everyday needs. Relevant data is being acquired and processed from production via transportation and interim storage facility to retailers to provide this information for employees and customers.
Therefore IT-systems of next generation need new paradigms of interaction which allow fast and native use. Intuitive usability, adjustability of individual preferences and presentation of information, FXVWRPLVHGIRUWKHLQGLYLGXDOXVHUDUHEDVLFSUHFRQGLWLRQVIRUDFFHSWDQFHDQGHI¿FLHQF\RIIXWXUH assistance systems. Our constantly growing team of currently eleven scientists together with student research assistants is developing solutions for future challenges in cooperation with our 15 partners of innovation and technology.
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Denise Paradowski
Antonio Krüger
Maria Iskudi
Ralf Jung
Sven Gehring
Markus Löchtefeld
Florian Daiber
Gesche Roy
Gerrit Kahl
Lübomira Spassova
Benedict Fehringer
Matthias Böhmer
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5HVHDUFK7HFKQRORJ\ )XWXUH Intelligent user interfaces for future customers
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Future Data Sources
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Product Memory
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SmartFridge We keep your memory fresh
The SmartFridge gives the user the possibility to easily retrieve individual product information. Manufacturers label the products with RFID tags, which can be read and written on through readers embedded in the fridge. Besides standard product information, such as nutrition facts, customised information like driven transport distance or temperature sequence from time of production to the customer is stored on the tags.
Via the integrated touchscreen the user can access the various information intuitively. Alongside a detailed list of ingredients and manufacturer information the fridge provides information about the shelf life of products and automatically warns when best before dates are about to be exceeded.
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SmartFridge users can create customised XVHU SUR¿OHV WR VDYH WKHLU IDYRXULWH articles or their food intolerances and will then be warned if they take out food they are allergic to. Recipe suggestions can be made regarding the products inside the fridge and also according to diet sheets and other criteria. Missing products can be added to personalised shopping lists via the touchscreen. Here the Internet connection enables the use of external LQIRUPDWLRQ OLNH DGYHUWLVLQJ À\HUV RI various stores. Your electronic shopping list can be sent to and edited on your mobile device as well, which makes it portable and usable in the market. 7KLV WHFKQRORJ\ IXO¿OV WKH FXVWRPHUVµ growing need for more and deeper product information and assists them in planning their shopping and a balanced diet.
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Gesture Detection using a depth camera at fresh food counters – LyDeCa We point at it
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The LyDeCa‘s equipment varies only slightly from today‘s fresh food counters. Besides the counter a modern scale with two screens is part of the exhibit which is only complemented by a depth camera installed DWWKHVDOHVURRP¶VFHLOLQJ7KHFDPHUDUHFRJQLVHVWKHFXVWRPHUµVSRLQWLQJJHVWXUHVDWDVSHFL¿FSURGXFW LQ WKH FRXQWHU YLD UHÀHFWLRQV RI WKH LQIUDUHG OLJKW LW HPLWWHG 7KH GHVLUHG SURGXFW FDQ EH LGHQWL¿HG E\ matching the pointing gesture with a 3D model of the counter and misunderstandings between customer and salesperson can be prevented.
Based on the chosen product, the scale screens can show detailed information about the article. Additionally to the price WKH FXVWRPHU UHFHLYHV VSHFL¿F SURGXFW information about origin and shelf life which increases product transparency and thus customer‘s trust. At the same time the employee behind the counter receives additional information (such as a wine suggestion) which can be useful for further customer service. This also allows untrained shop personal to give advanced advice.
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$XWRPDWLFVKHOIPRQLWRULQJXVLQJ¿EHUJODVV±)LEUH6KHOI Always see what‘s on the shelf
With the technology used in FibreShelf an inexpensive automatized shelf monitoring becomes possible in supermarkets and department stores. Fiberglass, known from high-speed data transmission, is integrated in the shelf in such a way that the incoming light on the top of the shelf is sent to a camera DWWDFKHGWRRQHHQGRIWKH¿EHUJODVVXQGHUQHDWKWKH shelf. These light-signals are interpreted as data and processed to a simple schematic representation of the products on the shelf and can thus be visualised.
In addition to shape and color the FibreShelf detects the position of a product on the shelf with which it is possible to automatically register the removal of an article. As soon as only a few items remain on the shelf, inventory control is automatically informed by FibreShelf.
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Real time transmission of information about goods movement to mobile devices also allows salespersons to react faster so that shelves are for example DOZD\V ¿OOHG ZKLFK LQFUHDVHV customer satisfaction as well as the market‘s attractiveness. From now on misplaced products and chaotic, messed shelves are a thing of the past. The FibreShelf is just one of a large number of assistance systems of the IRL that have been developed especially to support the shop employees.
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A mobile product lens for smartphones – ProductLens Show me what‘s inside
The mobile ProductLens is one of IRL’s mobile solutions, developed for the use on smartphones. The ProductLens app can be simply installed on your smartphone and then used directly when you enter a store. With your phone’s camera the app can identify products using an image recognition algorithm (SURF) and then display additional information or a 3D model of the package’s content on your SKRQH7KLVLVHVSHFLDOO\EHQH¿cial for non-food products. From now on unpleasant surprises about look and handling are a thing of the past because you no longer need to open the package anymore. Moreover, videos showing the product in use help customers get a more detailed idea of the product before purchasing it.
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,QDGGLWLRQHYHU\FXVWRPHUFDQFUHDWHWKHLURZQXVHUSUR¿OH3ULYDWHLQIRUPDWLRQVXFKDVDOOHUJLHVRUSUHIerences, is exclusively stored on the phone and thus remains visible for the phone owner‘s eyes only. The SHUVRQDOXVHUSUR¿OHHQDEOHVWKH0RELOH3URGXFW/HQVWRDFWLYHO\DGYLVHDQGVXSSRUWDFXVWRPHULQWKHVWRUH ,ILQIRUPDWLRQDERXWDSHUVRQµVIRRGLQWROHUDQFHLVVWRUHGLQWKHSUR¿OHWKH3URGXFW/HQVLVDEOHWRZDUQWKH customer immediately. With Mobile ProductLens users get information about ingredients, nutritional values, RULJLQRIWKHSURGXFWRUUHFLSHVXJJHVWLRQVDQGFDQDOVREHQH¿WIURPRWKHUFXVWRPHUVµH[SHULHQFHE\FKHFNing internet forums. This helps strengthening a customer‘s trust in a product and store. Many of our approaches use augmented reality technologies adding enriched information to the visual reality, the Productlens is only one of them. For more information see the following paper: Löchtefeld, Gehring et al. Productlenspaper Productlenspaper. Zeit. Ortortort.
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7KURXJK FRQQHFWLRQ ZLWK WKH LQYHQ WRU\ PDQDJHPHQW V\VWHP WKH 3UR GXFW¿QGHU LV DOZD\V XSWRGDWH DQG FDQ EH HDVLO\ DGDSWHG WR D GLIIHUHQW VWRUH 7KH LQWHOOLJHQW VHDUFK HQJLQH GRHVQRWRQO\VXSSRUWWKHFXVWRPHUV EXW DOVR WKH VDOHV SHUVRQQHO LQ WKH VWRUH 7KH 3URGXFW¿QGHU LV WKH ¿UVW RI WKH PDQ\,5/V\VWHPVZKLFKLVLQVWDOOHG LQDK\SHUPDUNHWDQGXQGHUJRHVLQ WHQVLYH WHVWV LQ D UHDO OLIH HQYLURQ PHQW )RU D VRIWZDUH XSGDWH FXVWRPHUVµ DV ZHOO DV HPSOR\HHVµ VXJJHVWLRQV KDYHEHHQFRQVLGHUHG7KHLURSLQLRQ KHOSHG XV WR SUHSDUH WKH 3URGXFW ¿QGHUIRUDZLGHVSUHDGXVH
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Checkout counter with automatic product recognition – EasyCheckout Don‘t waste time waiting
The last stop of every shopping tour always is the checkout counter. In the IRL the checkout procedure is executed at a RFID gate which detects the products in the shopping trolley or basket automatically. After the process has been con¿UPHGE\WKHVDOHVDVVLVWDQWFXVWRPHUVFDQSD\HDVLO\DQGFDVKOHVVZLWKWKHLU OR\DOW\FDUGRUDPRELOHGHYLFHZKLFKXVHV1)& 1HDU)LHOG&RPPXQLFDWLRQ VXFK OR\DOW\FDUGRUDPRELOHGHY as a mobile phone or car k keys.
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$QRWKHURSWLRQRISD\LQJLVZLWKRQH¶VRZQ¿QJHUSULQW,QWKLVFDVHDGDWDEDVHFRQQHFWV\RXU ¿QJHUSULQWZLWK\RXUFUHGLWFDUGGDWDZKLFKLV accessed in encrypted form during your payPHQW)RUDGGLWLRQDOFRQYHQLHQFHD'EDUFRGH 45FRGH SODFHG RQ WKH SULQWHG UHFHLSW FDQ be scanned with your mobile phone and then be WUDQVIRUPHGLQWRDSDSHUOHVVUHFHLSWZKLFKFDQ be very helpful for keeping your budget book RU DFFHVV DGGLWLRQDO LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW VSHFL¿F products after the shopping tour. The main goal of this innovative exhibit is to save time. You no longer need to unload and reload your shopping trolley at the checkout counter. New and easy payment methods can save even more time. So Easy Checkout is an H[KLELW ZKLFK VHDPOHVVO\ OLQNV GLIIHUHQW WHFKnologies used in the IRL.
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Technologies in the IRL Prototypes - handmade and customised 7KHEDVLFFRQFHSWRIPRVWRIRXUV\VWHPVLVLGHQWL¿FDWLRQDQGORFDOLVDtion of objects in means of the internet of things and services. In this respect we focus on optical markers and radio technology such as Radio )UHTXHQF\ ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ 5),' WDJV :LWK WKLV FKHDS DQG UDGLR EDVHG technology information about the product can be retrieved contactless and additional data, such as collected sensor data, can be stored at the SURGXFW LWVHOI $ UHDGLQJ GHYLFH FUHDWHV DQ HOHFWURPDJQHWLF ¿HOG ZKLFK LQGXFHVDORZHOHFWULFFXUUHQWWRWKH5),'WDJRQWKHSURGXFW,QWKLVZD\ the stored information can be sent from the chip to the reading device QREDWWHULHVUHTXLUHG 1HDU)LHOG&RPPXQLFDWLRQ 1)& DVXEFDWHJRU\RI5),'ZKLFKLVLQSDUticular suitable for mobile phones, will be used in future time especially for electronic and mobile payment systems. Our goal is always to develop concepts that are independent from a certain technology which will make them easily adaptable. For instance, HYHU\ 5),'EDVHG FRQFHSW FRXOG EH UHDOLVHG ZLWK RWKHU UDGLR WHFKQRORgies.
In order to bring new ways of human-computer-interaction forward, we apply multi-touch surfaces, embedded systems, acceleration sensors, gyroscopes, mobile and stationary displays, e-paper and depth cameras.
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Connected to our research data privacy is an important topic and often discussed when it comes to new technologies and the gathering of customer data. Our aim is to give every customer full control over their allocated and elevated data.
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Our Partners Partnership for Innovation
Knowledge & Innovation Community
EIT ICT Labs
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About us
Publisher Innovative Retail Laboratory (IRL) Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz GmbH, DFKI Campus D3 2, D-66123 Saarbrücken Images Dr. Patrick Gebhardt Layout Andreas Rebmann and Matthias Böhmer Contact us Dr. Ralf Jung IRL Labor Leipziger Straße 8 D-66606 St. Wendel E-Mail:
[email protected] Tel.: +49 (0)681 / 857 75-2016 Web: www.innovative-retail.de/en/projects Twitter: www.twitter.com/innoretail Printed by PRISMA - Verlagsdruckerei GmbH Am Ludwigsberg 80 - 84 D-66113 Saarbrücken
© Innovative Retail Laboratory, November 2011
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www.innovative-retail.de
