Illinois Grocery Store Deploys a Robot to Improve Customer Experience

I've been over to Woodman's a few times in the past couple of years and I haven't seen one of these rolling around in the aisles.

That doesn't mean robots at Woodman's don't exist because according to r/Rockford on Reddit, they do.

Titled Spotted today at Woodman's Rockford:

Apparently, the idea of robots coming to Woodman's has been in the hopper for a minute or two now.

Announced in July of 2020 Abasto says "A fleet of robots has begun to roam the aisles of Woodman’s Markets in Wisconsin and Illinois and is expected to roll out across the chain’s 18 stores by the end of the year, announced Badger Technologies, makers of robotic technology."

I'm not sure when the robots started to appear at Woodman's in Rockford or if they just rolled into town or what.

Either way, these robots do more than just stand around.

Badger Technologies:

Innovative imaging tools and neural networks enable the Badger Technologies autonomous robots to detect out-of-stock items with more than 95 percent accuracy. Incorrect and mispriced products are identified with over 90 percent accuracy. Badger Technologies autonomous robots also discern current product locations within a four-foot section of aisles that typically extend more than 100 feet.

Long story short, these robots stock shelves. I mean, they aren't putting products on shelves, but they are there to count the stuff on shelves.

That said, as someone who stocked shelves for a grand total of one day at a grocery store, I can tell you, it is one of the most tedious jobs on the planet.

I'm glad a robot can handle this task.

Have you seen the robot at Woodman's in Rockford? Were you startled at first? I'll be for real with you, if I saw it, I would definitely stop in my tracks to check it out.