Data analytics software designed by Leeds’ Panintelligence will be used as part of a high-tech trial aimed at keeping shoppers safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The global collaboration between Irish computer vision applications developer, Everyangle, and San Francisco smart camera firm, Cisco Meraki will be piloted nationwide.
“The whole world has changed within a matter of months and the issue of how to ensure people are safe while they are buying their groceries has suddenly become an overriding priority for food retailers,” explained David Owens, CEO at Everyangle, which has developed the app that processes the visual and audio data provided by the in-store cameras.
“Our algorithms can transform in-store smart cameras into powerful ‘internet of things’ devices that recognise the world they are sensing and, in this case, enable customers to shop in safety without the need for a member of staff to monitor the number of people in store.
“The Panintelligence Pi dashboard is integral to the technology: we needed a BI tool that we could white label, that was flexible and easy to use as well as being competitively priced, and Panintelligence was a real showstopper in all those regards.”
The system can also incorporate a digital signage screen that uses the Pi dashboard to display the current number of people in the store and whether it is safe to enter, using data from in-store smart cameras.
“As a developer we have considerable experience in the retail sector. IT group PCMS is one of our partners and, through a white-label arrangement our dashboards are used as a BI tool by high street names both here and in the US,” added Ken Miller, CTO at Panintelligence.
“It’s tremendously positive that as a result of this new partnership with Everyangle our Pi dashboard will be helping to halt the spread of the coronavirus and to keep customers safe and reassured in supermarkets up and down the country. Technology has enormous potential to be a force for good and never more so than in the current global health crisis.”
