Context-Aware Information for Smart Retailers

Abstract

Smart stores use ubiquitous digital signages to show information, images and videos, on their items, e.g., selling prices and advertisements. However, most signages tend to always or periodically show the same information to anyone. This paper presents a framework for easily developing novel digital signage whose content are aware of contextual changes in the real world. To spatially bind items and information, the framework automatically deploys programs for displaying contents at digital signage close to the items. It was constructed as a general-purpose middleware system for selecting and deploying programs with information according to context.

Data science for pedestrian and high street retailing as a framework for advancing urban informatics to individual scales

“…It is also feasible that CaaS platforms could be integrated with edge computing to directly sense and build fast information streams for urban environments. Satoh ( 2021 ) recently introduced a smart digital sign that makes use of very localized context around retail displays to guide the touchpoint information that a customer will encounter in a store during their journey. This context is considered simply, via the presence of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within a small distance of a retail touchpoint, but a key innovation in the approach described by Satoh ( 2021 ) is that interaction with the RFID is tight-coupled to retail information systems using a series of mobile agents.…”

“…Satoh ( 2021 ) recently introduced a smart digital sign that makes use of very localized context around retail displays to guide the touchpoint information that a customer will encounter in a store during their journey. This context is considered simply, via the presence of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within a small distance of a retail touchpoint, but a key innovation in the approach described by Satoh ( 2021 ) is that interaction with the RFID is tight-coupled to retail information systems using a series of mobile agents. The agents introduced by Satoh ( 2021 ) are simple in specification, designed to run on computationally-light systems merely as brokers to manage touchpoint activity at the retail object “front-end” and the commensurate response at the retail information system “back-end”.…”

“…This context is considered simply, via the presence of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags within a small distance of a retail touchpoint, but a key innovation in the approach described by Satoh ( 2021 ) is that interaction with the RFID is tight-coupled to retail information systems using a series of mobile agents. The agents introduced by Satoh ( 2021 ) are simple in specification, designed to run on computationally-light systems merely as brokers to manage touchpoint activity at the retail object “front-end” and the commensurate response at the retail information system “back-end”. Nevertheless, the working online-offline connection between retail operations and the customer journey via physical touchpoints is an incredibly innovative development.…”

“…Nevertheless, the working online-offline connection between retail operations and the customer journey via physical touchpoints is an incredibly innovative development. A key point in the implementation details of the system provided by Satoh ( 2021 ) is that each agent has the capacity to advertise its presence and capabilities and to transfer its code (and state data) from one device to another through the information system (p. 75). It is perhaps straightforward to consider, at least in concept, how similar contextual signs could be developed for outdoor advertising kiosks on high streets, with benefits for high street retailing, but also urban service provisions such as wayfinding, emergency routing, notification of detours, etc.…”

Smart and Sentient Retail High Streets

“…For example, Augusto et al [261] noted that software agents, acting on high-quality contextual information, might be well-poised to support adaptive responses in smart systems, with the goal of developing personalized instances of IEs for groups of users or even for individual users. Satoh [264], for example, has recently shown a working context-aware system for retailing that is based on contextsensing and agents within the IE framework. Satoh [264] designed a system for sentient advertising in indoor retail settings, in which product signs develop computational awareness of approaching users based on their proximity to displays (via RFID tags) and can spin-up instances of software agents to retrieve product information, as well as to control physical aspects of the signage (turning them on, lighting, playing audio and video).…”