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shogi_x t1_j6dzosr wrote

> So, when will these mannequins start analyzing you? They might already be. Not only does Almax sell the EyeSee to stores oversees, it already has one client in the U.S. "It is already in some stores in the U.S., but I cannot disclose the client."

TL;DR: this is not widespread and may never be.

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Sentsuizan t1_j6egco7 wrote

One client could very well mean one corporation that owns a shitload of different stores.

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human8264829264 OP t1_j6dzvks wrote

I learned about it in a marketing class and the teacher seamed to be saying they where more and more widespread and I'm in Canada. The article is from 2012.

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shogi_x t1_j6e1imk wrote

I can only find a handful of articles from around the same time period. I'm guessing this is tech that never really proved its value so it didn't catch on widely. TBH they're probably just using regular security cameras and Bluetooth beacons, if they're analyzing this at all.

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pseudocultist t1_j6egngk wrote

This kind of tech came too early. It generated a mountain of data which no one could parse let alone use for any good ends. No integration with other systems.

Today we're doing AI data lakes where we just pipe in all sorts of raw data and let the AI do the work . It's still catching on in enterprise settings. Once that's in place, they can take another shot at tech like this, piping the data into the lake where it can be put to use. Plus the hardware has dropped in price quite a bit.

I would say expect a second round of this stuff in another 3-5 years, and it'll be much more successful.

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Lelabear t1_j6fmbk7 wrote

Knew a guy about 10 years ago who was an audio engineer that got a job with Wal-Mart designing subliminal sound devices to put in the end caps at the stores to make customers want to buy that merchandise. Never went in a box store again without headphones.

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theycmeroll t1_j6fschd wrote

Lol I just commented up a bit higher, I used to install those.

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opiate_lifer t1_j6foluz wrote

Any evidence this even works?

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Lelabear t1_j6fr1i5 wrote

Don't know, but he was making a 7 figure salary, somebody thought it was worth it.

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xX609s-hartXx t1_j6lhqnz wrote

That doesn't mean much. Some companies hire hand writing analysers who will tell them what kind of person you are based on one page of hand written text.

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Lelabear t1_j6lic96 wrote

The subliminal tapes convince you to buy something, the handwriting analysis probes your character. Different techniques get different results, all nefarious.

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xX609s-hartXx t1_j6lj63h wrote

Hand writing analyses is also about as scientific as astrology.

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bullybullybully t1_j6f390j wrote

I work in retail design and technology and can say that, while this exists it is far from wide spread. There are many more effective and accurate ways of capturing customer data in use. One of the hard to decipher points with smart displays is that it is difficult to tell from audience reactions what exactly the customer is reacting to. Could be the whole outfit, a single item, the mannequin pose or visual merchandising elements, etc.

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benefit_of_mrkite t1_j6fpft8 wrote

Customer sentiment in cameras has been a thing in retail for some time. So has location analytics that give details on things like how displays and/or store departments are laid out in something that makes consumers stop

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bullybullybully t1_j6fwzfk wrote

Totally. I mainly meant that using mannequins as the location for data gathering hardware was not common as it’s not necessary or as flexible as most other options to gather similar and greater data.

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theycmeroll t1_j6fs6mx wrote

This practice has been around for a long time. I worked for a company back in 2003 installing digital advertising screens in Walmart that has a camera in them behind a plastic panel that did the same thing.

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CrouchingToaster t1_j6gdjlh wrote

One of the big selling points of a mannequin is that they are cheap. This might catch on as like one or two mannequins in a store has this that corporate has the stores use to gauge customer reaction to a sale or a new line being released, but I highly doubt this is gonna become a standard mannequin.

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shogi_x t1_j6gjqv4 wrote

Exactly. I can see this at a flagship/test location that gets studied then rolled out to other stores.

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DavoTB t1_j6gywpg wrote

It has to be useful to the retailers…

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