Object recognition scanner – huge possibilities

It was perhaps only a matter of time but its surprising that Toshiba’s new object recognition scanner hasn’t created more of a fuss.  Basically what it does is dispense with the need for barcodes as it can recognise products from their colour, shape, labelling etc.  Its being trialled by a supermarket in Japan and shows lots of potential.  The really interesting extension of this technology is what could be done with it in smartphones, Google goggles and other AR applications.

Airport Retail and the Psychology of Stress: What Makes Travellers Spend?

Airport Retail and the Psychology of Stress: What Makes Travellers Spend?

That overpriced chocolate bar at Gate 14 wasn’t about hunger—it was about control. In this in-depth essay, we explore how Mood Repair Theory explains airport retail behaviour, especially in high-stress domestic terminals, and what airports can learn from global best practice to meet travellers’ emotional needs.