Vuzix Corp., a supplier of smart glasses and augmented reality (AR) technologies for the consumer and enterprise markets, has entered into a strategic partnership with Powershelf to deliver a “comprehensive wearable Internet of Things (IoT) smart glasses solution for stocking retail store shelves.”
The “Powershelf Stock-to-Sight and Pick-to-Sight, powered by Vuzix” solution uses AR technology and artificial intelligence to provide a hands-free option for store personnel to scan and overlay product-specific images directly into Powershelf through Vuzix smart glasses. According to the companies, this ability helps to reduce errors, save money and improve employee efficiency.
“Restocking consumes enormous amounts of resources as every item sold needs to be restocked by hand,” said John White, co-CEO of Powershelf. “Through our Powershelf Network, which includes GE, SAP, Qualcomm, Microsoft and now Vuzix, we will integrate Powershelf’s machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies with Vuzix’ augmented reality technology to remove significant costs from retailers. Together we will give retailers powerful new tools to further improve their operational efficiency as well as optimize their supply chains and help them better serve their customers.”
Retailers adopting the “Powershelf Stock-to-Sight and Pick-to-Sight, powered by Vuzix” solution will see significant benefits. In a recent study conducted with a global shipping company, AR smart glasses technology delivered:
- Up to a 15 percent increase in picking accuracy; and
- A 50 percent decrease in employee training time.
Another study with a global health care company found there was a 46 percent increase in pick and pack productivity using AR glasses.
Powershelf says its platform combines its battery-free smart shelving hardware devices with proprietary software to transform stores into smart and connected environments.
“The platform gives retailers an edge in today’s omni-channel retail environment by harnessing live on-shelf availability data, improved pricing accuracy and reduced out-of-stock incidents, while providing the ability to interact with shoppers’ mobile devices in real time,” the company says.
The Powershelf platform is a green technology. It requires no batteries and significantly reduces the need for paper tags and signage, which can help retailers meet their environmental sustainability goals.
“Partnering with Powershelf provides a tremendous opportunity for Vuzix to establish a footprint inside the day-to-day operations at retail stores with some of our next-generation smart glasses,” said Paul Travers, president and CEO, Vuzix. “More importantly, it allows us to leverage the existing Powershelf network, exposing new and valuable use cases for this comprehensive solution set combining machine learning, IoT and the use of our award-winning augmented reality technology. Anyone familiar with this space can see how this will change the game in retail.”
Keep reading:
Terrible Herbst Increases Toy Drive Donations With POS Technology
Technology-Rich ShopRite Of North Greenbush Opens In New York
