Auchan tests robots to carry shopping bags
Auchan Retail France, autonomous company of the holding company Auchan, will test the robot in its shop wiiGO Englos, near Lille. Initially, this solution will first be offered to people with reduced mobility and pregnant women.
The wiiGO robot looks more like Wall-E at the droid C-3PO of Star Wars. But if it is not very sexy, it is on the other hand very practical. Invented by the Portuguese Follow Inspiration startups, wiiGO is a kind of self-caddy following his “master” like a little mechanical dog: “The visual recognition system identifies the person, then allowing it to monitor it throughout the “Said Denis Vanbeselaere, Director of innovation at Auchan Retail.
Once the customer has been “recognized” by the robot, it carries his shopping bag on it. “WiiGO will always stay at a maximum distance of 1.50 m from its user and does not need more than 90 cm in width to circulate. The checkout will also be facilitated by a specific markup, “continues the director of innovation.
In France, wiiGO will enter a test period of at least one month in the alleys of the Auchan Englos store. “The operation starts on September 21 and will be reserved for people with reduced mobility and pregnant women,” said the retailer. “The version of the robot tested is still a prototype that still costs several thousand euros. We are waiting for feedback to see if this solution satisfies customers and consider deploying it more widely, “announces Denis Vanbeselaere.
An equivalent experience has already been conducted at the Jumba store in Maia, Portugal, and the results were rather satisfactory ensures Auchan. “Depending on requirements, we may consider derivatives on larger carts, but it will remain a rather expensive technology,” says the director.
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