What better way to start off the new year by opening up one of the most technologically advanced stores anyone has ever seen? In January 2018, the e-commerce company we all know as Amazon opened up its futuristic grocery store in Seattle, Washington.
Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology allows customers to exit the cashier-less store by just simply...walking out. The process includes utilization of “computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning.” With their kind of technology, the store recognizes exactly when a customer takes a product off the shelves or places it back where they got it. According to Scott Carey and Thomas Macaulay, “An algorithm analyses the gestures captured by the cameras to identify which items a customer picks ups, while weight sensors assess which ones leave the shelves.” That being said, in order to even enter the store you must download the free Amazon Go app, as stated on their website. This app, partnered with the advanced technology within the store, tracks exactly what you walk out with so it can send you your receipt of purchase.
Who would have thought that one day we could leave a store without hesitating to pull out cash or a credit card? When you think about it, leaving a store without stopping at a cash register might make people feel uneasy at first. However, with this ever-evolving world of technology, this seems like something we should start getting used to.
So, what does this all entail?
Amazon Go brings convenience to its finest since there is no such thing as waiting in lines. Although this is totally liberating, it is quite easy to overspend considering there is no one telling you how much you are spending before you leave. In addition to the overspending, there is that uneasy sensation I mentioned before that could make you feel like you are shoplifting; That is until your receipt is magically sent to you.
Yet, that isn’t the only discomfort some people might experience. From the moment you step foot in the store to the moment you step out, you instantly become a subject. As you walk around, you are constantly being watched and tracked by what looks like a large sheet of cameras and sensors that is draped across the ceiling. The extent of this technology is unheard of. For all we know, the system Amazon has employed could be tracking customers outside of their 1,800 square foot space. By scanning your phone upon entry, this space becomes much larger, as Amazon could retrieve information about your personal life and not just what food you buy.
While all of this might be in theory, the level of advancement that technology has reached is still quite extraordinary. After Amazon did the unthinkable, it makes us all wonder, what does the future have in store for us? What exactly are we as humans capable of doing?
