Abstract: A technique for providing drone assistance is discussed. A computing device is in wireless communication with a mobile electronic device and an aerial drone. The computing device can control the aerial drone to travel to the location of a user of the mobile electronic device in response to a request for assistance received via the user's mobile electronic device. Once the aerial drone has arrived at the location of the user, the computing device can also control the aerial drone to provide price verification of a user-specified object or to provide navigation assistance via the aerial drone to guide the user to the user-specified object.

Abstract: An example vehicle content identification system and associated methods are described. The example vehicle content identification system includes one or more sensors, a processing device equipped with a processor, and a communication interface. The one or more sensors are configured to detect characteristics of vehicles. The communication interface is configured to enable communication between the one or more sensors and the processing device. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to obtain a first set of characteristics of a first vehicle detected by the one or more sensors. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to identify contents of the first vehicle based on the first set of characteristics of the first vehicle.

Abstract: An example secure enclosure system and associated methods are described. The example enclosure system includes a housing, a shelf disposed within the housing, an array of sensors arranged within the housing, and an interface operatively coupled to the array of sensors. The shelf includes a supporting surface configured to support physical objects. The array of sensors is configured to detect characteristics of the each physical object supported by the supporting surface of the shelf. The interface is configured to transmit the detected characteristics from the array of sensors to a central computing system. The central computing system is configured to determine an identity of each physical object based on the detected characteristics.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for autonomous item identification in an environment including a mobile computational device and a container. One or more sensors are disposed at the container to sense a selected item being placed in the container. In response to sensing the selected item being placed in the container, a location of the container is determined using a positioning system. One or more physical characteristics of the selected item is sensed via the one or more sensors at the container. A set of stored characteristics is retrieved from a database for available items proximate to the location of the container. An identification code for the selected item is identified based on a comparison of the one or more physical characteristics of the selected item with the stored characteristics retrieved from the database of the available items based on the location of the container.

Abstract: A vehicle identification system that includes exhaust emissions sensors that identify a vehicle type based on detected exhaust emission profiles and further determines vehicle stay duration and related metrics is discussed. Additional audio sensors may be used to further identify a change in load on the vehicle due to purchases made at the retail facility. The exhaust emission profiles detected by the vehicle identification system can be correlated with transaction data for the customer to determine the exact items purchased by the customer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for analyzing remotely located facilities based on sensed data. Exemplary embodiments include sensing data by one or more sensors located at or near a first facility to determine customer traffic and adding the sensed data to a set of stored data associated with the first facility. Customer demographics of the first facility are determined based on the sensed data, and transaction data for the first facility is received from one or more computing systems at the first facility. A second facility is identified that has customer demographics with a pre-defined degree of similarity to the customer demographics of the first facility. Transaction data of the second facility is analyzed with respect to the transaction data of the first facility and an improvement or change in item assortment at the first facility is determined based on the analysis.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for identifying actions performed by a forklift based on detected sounds in a facility. An array of microphones can be disposed in a facility. The microphones can detect various sounds and encode the sounds in an electrical signal and transmit the sounds to a computing system. The computing system can determine the sound signature of each sound and based on the sound signature the chronological order of the sounds and the time interval in between the sounds the computing system can determine the action being performed by the forklift which is causing the sounds.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for dynamic projection. The dynamic projection system includes a projector configured to project a first set of information associated with a set of like physical objects onto a front portion of a shelving unit. The first set of information includes an image of a machine-readable element encoded with an identifier associated with the set of like physical objects. An optical scanner can scan and decode the identifier from the image of the machine-readable element. The optical scanner can transmit the identifier or location of the scanner to a computing system The computing system can further control an output of the projector to dynamically project the second set of information associated with the set of like physical objects onto the front portion of the shelving unit receiving the identifier or location of the optical scanner.

Abstract: A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for estimating storage capacity of a storage unit disposed in a facility based on echoes detected by microphones. The microphones can detect sounds generated in the warehouse and reflected off the storage unit structures. The microphones detect the intensity of the sounds. The microphones can encode the sounds and the intensity of the sounds in time-varying electrical signals and transmit the time-varying electrical signals to a computing system. The computing system can decode the sounds and the intensity of the sounds from the time-varying electrical signals and estimate storage capacity of a storage unit from which the sounds reflected off of based on the intensity of the sounds.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for identifying actions based on detected sounds in a facility. An array of microphones can be disposed in a facility. The microphones can detect various sounds and encode the sounds in an electrical signal and transmit the sounds to a computing system. The computing system can determine the sound signature of each sound and based on the sound signature the chronological order of the sounds and the time interval in between the sounds the computing system can determine the action being performed causing the sounds.

Abstract: An example customer assistance system and associated methods are described. The example customer assistance system includes a shopping cart, a customer assistance unit mounted on the shopping cart, and a location system disposed remotely from the shopping cart and the customer assistance unit. The customer assistance unit includes a light source oriented upwards relative to horizontal, and an actuator for actuating the light source into an illumination position. In the illumination position, the light source projects a light beam over the shopping cart. The locating system includes at least one image capturing device configured to scan a ceiling for the light beam and to determine a source location of the shopping cart based on a ceiling location of the light beam.

Abstract: Sensor systems, methods and machine readable medium are provided for a sensor system for analyzing the ripeness of produce items.

Abstract: An example cart inventory system and associated methods are described. The example cart inventory system includes a cart and a detection system. The cart includes a frame, and a shelf movably mounted to the frame and configured to be positioned between an extended position and a folded position. A top surface and a rear surface of the shelf include first and second identifiers, respectively. The detection system is configured to detect the first identifier when the shelf is in the extended position and detect the second identifier when the shelf is positioned in the folded position. In the extended position, the top surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal and the rear surface is disposed against the frame. In the folded position, the rear surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension measurement system that allows for tracking of customer traffic at a retail environment, and for determining whether items were purchased by a customer during their visit to the retail environment is discussed. Using a passive sensor-based system, data may be gathered by visually analyzing a vehicle's suspension system upon entry to the retail environment and again upon exit from the retail environment. A comparison of the entry and exit images may be performed to determine the degree of engagement of the vehicle suspension system and thereby provide an indicator as to whether the customer in the vehicle has made a purchase.

Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for detection motion using an air curtain. An air flow source generates an air curtain that can rotate an airfoil located downstream of the air flow source. The airfoil contains an RF reflective material, and a sensor can detect RF reflections from the airfoil. The sensor communicates data associated with the RF energy reflections detected from the airfoil to a computing device that can compare this data against a reflection threshold value. The computing device can determine whether an object has obstructed the air curtain if the reflections detected by the sensor decrease below the reflection threshold value. The computing device can also compute a number of objects passing through the air curtain during a specified period of time.

Abstract: A vehicle analysis system including one or more weight sensors positioned to determine a weight of a vehicle within a pre-defined geographic location in the vicinity of a location of interest is described. The vehicle analysis system acquires data related to vehicles visiting the location of interest that may be saved in a database to provide further insight into individual's visiting the location of interest.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for determining crowd traffic in a facility by detecting debris on floor mats. The system can include floor mats disposed in a facility to collect debris from objects passing over the floor mats. A computing system can detect and estimate the amount of objects causing the debris on the floor mat. The computing system can estimate the amount of objects entering and exiting the facility based on the quantity of objects passing over the floor mats.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for detecting absent physical objects using autonomous robot devices. In exemplary embodiments, the system includes shelving units disposed throughout a facility storing sets of physical objects. A first set of machine readable representations can be disposed on the front surface of the shelving unit and a second set of machine readable representations can be disposed on the back wall of the shelving unit. The first and second set of machine readable representations can be encoded with identifiers associated with the sets of physical objects. An autonomous robot device can be configured to detect and read a first set of machine-readable representations in response to successfully detecting and reading the second set of machine readable representations the autonomous robot device can determine the absence of a set of like physical objects.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for operating a mobile device, comprising: establishing by a locking mechanism at the mobile device that the mobile device is owned or controlled by a retail establishment at which an operator of the mobile device is an agent; searching, by a mobile device, for a signal from a network; authorizing the mobile device to operate in a vicinity of the network when the signal is detected from the network; and inactivating the mobile device or displaying information where the mobile device can operate in response to a failure by the mobile device to detect the signal.