Digital transformation solutions company UST has deployed UST Vision Checkout, a frictionless and touch-less retail solution at the Bistro and grab- and-go areas of Jedediah’s at the Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming, the US. Bistro grab-and-go is the sole food vendor at an airport that welcomes over five lakh passengers annually.
UST coffers retail solutions in frictionless commerce to accelerate digital transformation of traditional brick-and-mortar stores, a company spokesperson said. A self-checkout terminal powered by computer vision, UST Vision Checkout is part of a range of comprehensive retail solution offering. It boasts the standard capability of bar code scanning and look-up products mode.
Enhanced adaptability
The solution will help retailers looking to bounce back from the pandemic, but faced with labour shortages, with integration of technology and flexibility while boosting customer experience. XPLORAZZI’s vision algorithm and a UST middleware with custom user interfaces and databases enhance its adaptability. It comes with smart UI technology that supports fast, intuitive and responsive checkout flows.
With Jedediah’s at Jackson Hole seeing major demand spikes with flight departure schedules, the streamlined process offered by UST Vision Checkout allows employees to devote themselves to meeting other customer needs during peak service times. The automated solution makes it possible for the restaurant to keep its doors open 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
Assured RoI gains
The self-checkout also helps retailers reduce potential shoplifting, circumvent traditional POS systems, and avoid associated licensing fees, the spokesperson said. The UST pricing model ensures they can expect assured RoI gains soon after implementation. AI-powered processes and recommendations as well as increased efficiency make it an essential solution for modern retailers.
Gilroy Mathew, Senior Vice-President, Global Head of Engineering, UST, said UST Vision Checkout makes checkout up to three times faster. It enhances the entire shopping experience while also allowing retail operators to allocate resources more efficiently. Passengers will be able to experience the simple, intelligent, and autonomous self-checkout experience through cutting edge computer vision analytics and a touch-less user interface, Mathew said.
Faster image processing
Subhodip Bandyopadhyay, Global Head of Frictionless Commerce and General Manager - Emerging Technology Solutions, UST, said the solution is optimised on an Intel Xeon processor and Intel GPU. This combination has provided 3X faster processing of images. A perfect example in Edge to Cloud infrastructure, the solution is hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud. “We see good RoI gains for operators of corporate cafeteria space as well as in micro-markets and C stores,” he added.
Rhea Brough, General Manager, Jedediah’s, said most flights depart Jackson Hole midday, meaning vendors can rapidly see an influx of 500 to 1,000 people. UST Vision Checkout allows them to self-checkout through a rapid process that is guided by artificial intelligence.