Proofs-of-concept exhibit features adidas, Best Buy, Kraft Foods, MIT Media Lab and Procter & Gamble in future of retail concept
Intel Corporation has unveiled its Connected Store concept, a two-story, 2,400-square-foot futuristic retail storefront equipped with the latest technology for the retail and digital signage market segments at the National Retail Federation (NRF) 100th Annual Convention and Expo, held from 9 to 12 January 2011, at the Javits Convention Centre in New York.
Powered by second-generation Intel Core processors, previous-generation Intel Core processors and Intel Atom processors, the Connected Store features interactive demonstrations and proof-of-concepts (PoCs) that aim to integrate the best of online and mobile shopping with traditional retail environments.
Industry brands such as adidas, Best Buy, Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble, in addition to researchers at the MIT Media Lab, worked with Intel to create these experiences and showcase what’s possible.
“Intel’s innovative retail solutions are designed to meet the changing needs of tomorrow’s marketplace by promoting brand interaction and delivering a more personalised and enjoyable shopping experience,” said Jose Avalos, Intel Embedded Computing Division general manager. “The interactive demos illustrate how retailers are able to reduce energy consumption, lower total cost of ownership and increase profits with features such as remote manageability and anonymous video analytics.”
Smart retail tech on display
Several of the PoCs have been designed to feature the company’s first, so-called "visibly smart" second-generation Intel Core processor family that combines visuals and 3D graphics technology with high-performance microprocessors on a single chip. Demos involving Intel Retail Interactive Fashion Experience, adiVERSE (a virtual search engine footwear wall) and the Intel Digital Signage Endcap all demonstrated new ways to integrate these technologies into a retail environment with benefits for retailers and consumers alike.
Intel also announced Intel AIM Suite, a new video analytics technology for anonymous audience measurement in retail and digital signage applications in traditional storefronts. Showcasing the software capabilities via demos in the Connected Store, the Intel AIM Suite is designed anonymously monitors viewer metrics such as age, gender and length of attention. This enables retailers and advertisers to deliver targeted content for individual viewers and track return on investment with greater accuracy. Leading brands supporting Intel AIM Suite technology include Harley-Davidson in Canada, NEC and The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.
Demos highlighted in the storefront include the Intel Retail Interactive Fashion Experience, adiVERSE, Intel Digital Signage Endcap Concept, Next Generation Meal Planning Solution, LuminAR Augmented Product Display Counter, Next Generation Quick-Service Restaurant Kiosk, Secure Point-of-Sale Self Checkout Kiosk, and Intel Expressway Tokenisation Broker.
