If the prospect of Christmas shopping in crowded malls fills you with dread, help could soon be at hand. Researchers have developed a hand-held device that maps out the fastest route for you to get all your shopping done - and tells you where to find the best bargains.
The device, developed by Javier Bajo at the University of Salamanca in Spain, has been tested in the Tormes shopping mall in Salamanca, where it received a thumbs up from shoppers and store owners alike (Applied Soft Computing, DOI: 10.1016/j.asoc.2008.11.009). "Most shop managers believe that the device has helped their businesses attract more customers and sell more," says Bajo.
The Tormes mall houses more than 80 different stores, and the device has been used by more than 2400 people.
Shoppers key in information about their preferences, the amount of money they have to spend and the amount of time they have available. The device then uses radio frequency identification (RFID) to pinpoint their location, and beams information to them about shops and offers via Wi-Fi.
Even if shoppers are not looking to buy anything specific and just want to spend the afternoon at the mall, the system can help with suggestions such as films on at the cinema or coffee shops, says Bajo. "You can ask the system for suggestions based on your specific interests, and it will suggest a route for you, including different activities."
Bajo is developing a similar system that will help nurses to monitor elderly patients, and suggest which needs attending to first.
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