Long queues at supermarket billing counters, slow barcode scanning, and frustrating billing errors may soon become a thing of the past, thanks to an ingenious innovation from Vadodara. A team of engineering students from Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT) has developed a Smart Trolley Automated Retail Billing System designed to revolutionize the checkout process, making it faster, smarter, and completely scan-free.
How the AI-Powered Smart Trolley Works
The system tackles the core problem of traditional shopping by integrating computer vision technology directly into a modified shopping cart. Instead of scanning barcodes one by one at a counter, a compact camera and an embedded processing unit mounted on the trolley instantly recognize products as they are placed inside. This technology enables real-time product detection and automatic billing.
A key feature is a wireless dashboard that displays a live running total, allowing shoppers to track their spending in real-time as they move through the aisles. Once finished, they can simply exit the store, bypassing conventional checkout counters entirely. The team emphasizes its plug-and-play design, which allows the smart system to be fitted onto existing supermarket trolleys without requiring major or costly infrastructure changes for retailers.
The Minds Behind the Innovation
The project is the brainchild of three third-year BTech students specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML) at CHARUSAT: Parth Devani, Prince Gajera, and Mayank Chauhan. They developed the system under the expert guidance of their mentor, Dr. Nirav Bhatt, head of the AIML department, and teacher Gaurang Patel.
The students focused intensely on practical deployment and user-friendliness. "Each product can be mapped in the system's database, ensuring accurate identification and pricing as items are added to the cart," explained Prince Gajera. He added that by eliminating long waits and simplifying checkout, the smart trolley offers a dual benefit: a faster, smoother experience for consumers and improved operational efficiency for retailers.
Road to Real-World Implementation
The smart trolley prototype is not just a theoretical model. It has already been showcased at major technical exhibitions, including InnoTech, AI for All, and Education Expo 3.0, where it generated significant interest from visitors and industry observers alike.
Buoyed by this positive response, the young innovators now plan to take the crucial next step: piloting the system in actual supermarkets. This real-world testing phase will be vital to assess the system's performance under everyday conditions and to gather direct feedback from customers and store staff, which will guide further refinements.
This Vadodara-born innovation stands as a promising example of how Indian student talent, coupled with cutting-edge technologies like AI and computer vision, can create tangible solutions to common everyday problems, potentially transforming the retail landscape.
