Giant Food Stores Will Place Robotic Assistants at 172 Locations

Giant Food Stores will install autonomous assistive robots in 172 stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, as part of a plan by its parent company to deploy about 500 such robots within its chain stores.

The robots, called "Martys," use image-capturing technology to flag spills, debris, and other potential hazards to store employees.

The Martys move around the store without assistance, scanning floors for spills and trip hazards, which are reported to employees. Once it locates a spill, the machine pages and then verbally alerts employees; the robot features a collision-avoidance scanner, rechargeable lithium batteries, and multiple cameras.

Marty also scans shelves for items that are out of stock, and performs price checks, looking for discrepancies between the shelf and the store's scanning system.

From The Washington Post
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