Increase productivity and lower the operating cost of your business by automating crucial business processes with the Raspberry Pi. After completing this book's projects you'll be able to determine the best way to quickly apply automation to existing systems and processes in your retail outlet with Raspberry Pi. You'll start by composing ideas to transform your business, and then gain practical, accessible methods for executing them. Find real-world ways to implement tech solutions to accelerate the growth of your business, and navigate the ever-changing landscape of retail automation with this book. Then see what automation can and cannot do at the current level of technical progress for retail businesses. By comparing the efficiency of machines with manual labor, you'll be able to assess how open-source hardware performs in lowering operating costs and identify business components that can be improved with automation. Raspberry Pi Retail Applications features projects that are easy to dive into and will function readily in your day-to-day business right now. You will:

• Identify business components that can be improved with automation
• Combine the existing array of Raspberry Pi hardware options to build customized solutions

• Implement tech ideas in a practical retail environment to reduce cost and streamline your business processes

  Autorentext

  Elaine Wu specializes in business partnerships and marketing in various tech industries, from software to embedded hardware. She is currently the marketing and partnership manager at Seeed (an open-source AIoT hardware platform) where she focuses on the global IoT solution ecosystem, making technology accessible for all. At Seeed, by aligning with partners and best hardware, she believes and strives on the path of the most reliable hardware platform, empowering everyone to achieve their digital transformation goals. She was also leading community partnerships, content marketing, new products' go-to-market strategies at Seeed before 2021. Elaine is also an active article contributor on a variety of industries topics, including but not limited to SBCs, microcontrollers, ML/AI, robotics, and SLAM. Dmitry Maslov works professionally in applied machine learning and robotics. He's spearheaded a variety of machine learning projects, both for previous employers and as a freelancer. Proficient in Python and C/C++, Dmitry has an excellent knowledge of ROS and ROS-i. He speaks four languages with professional fluency in three. Dmitry is the owner of Hardware.ai, a YouTube channel where he publishes videos on creating intelligent systems with machine learning and ROS on single-board computers.

  Inhalt
  Chapter 1 Understanding Automation Applications in Retail What automation can and cannot do at the current level

Compare the efficiency of machines with manual labor

Find the best application scenarios for automation and also where it might not be the best choice.

Chapter 2 People Counting for Resource Management

Create a system using computer vision to perform analysis of retail outlet occupancy at different times.

Use the data to improve allocation of the company resources (e.g. personnel, electricity).

Chapter 3 Vending Machine

Use the Raspberry Pi compute module to process orders and control the hardware in a vending machine.

Understand how to interface a Raspberry Pi compute module with a customized carrier board for specific needs (e.g., vending machine control modules)

Chapter 4 Interactive Touch Screen Directory/ Customer Service Robot

Connect a Raspberry Pi with a high resolution touch screen display and transform it into an interactive directory to help customers in the mall or other retail environment.

Instead of a large touch screen display, a mobile platform such as a robot can also help customers with directions.

Chapter 5 Voice Interaction Drive-Through Self-Service Station

Prototype a replacement for a traditional drive-through station by utilizing Raspberry Pi.

Speech recognition to help customers with their order.

Chapter 6 Employee Management System Build a system to optimize time tracking and the punch in/punch out process.

Use collected data to drive human resource management decisions.

Chapter 7 Advertisement Display

Create a device to display advertising promotion content for a real estate screen.

Remotely schedule and control the content via a network interface.

Chapter 8 Check-Out Counter with Barcode Scanner

Lower equipment cost by replacing a traditional check-out computer system with a single Raspberry Pi 400 all-in-one keyboard.

Chapter 9 Server/Server Cluster for Hosting

Optimize your small business hosting costs by moving away from renting public cloud servers

Hosting your website/application/chatbot customer service on a Raspberry Pi/Raspberry Pi cluster

Chapter 10 Summary and Tips on Practical Implementation

Summary Ideas and practical advice on the best ways to quickly replace or upgrade current systems with automation by Raspberry Pi