Authors:
Jonathan Simmons, Dan Kelaher
Abstract:
The present form of shopper guidance through the flow of a self-checkout system is not very accessible to blind individuals. Most guidance features are provided visually, via lights and on-screen messages. This disclosure proposes to increase the accessibility for blind shoppers via the utilization of piezoelectric buzzers in a Self- Checkout Lane as a form of user guidance.
Background:
Current Self-Checkout lanes use a variety of techniques to attempt to guide the user during the process of scanning, paying, and collecting their items. The most common form of user guidance employed include lights, tones/beeps from peripheral devices, and verbal tones and spoken prompts from system speaker. In a large busy store environment, audible guidance strategies can be ineffective as nearby lanes are all making the same noises. Also, accessibility to SCO systems is increasing in focus by the US government and disabled population. Because of the nature of the tones, it can also be difficult to determine what device is making the noise and often the noises are coming from one general use speaker.
Most often buzzers are used as a warning indicator as they can be startling depending on the intensity and vibration pattern. Buzzers are also very effective at drawing attention to a specific location as nearby mechanical assemblies will also tend to vibrate along with the buzzer. This can be especially useful for those with visual impairments as they identify their world via touch and sound.
The use of multiple low-cost buzzers in strategic locations within a Self- Checkout Lane could speed up the checkout process in busy stores and reduce friction especially for blind individuals.
Description:
Effective use of the buzzer could include but is not limited to any of the following use cases:
- Notify a customer to take their receipt
- Notify a customer to take their change (cash and / or coin)
- Notify a customer to remove an item from the bagging area that needs to be re-weighed or re-scanned
- Notify a customer to take all their items from the bagging area after payment is processed
Buzzers can be placed next to the items that are needed to be accessed. For example, vibration from a buzzer underneath the coin change cup will generate the vibration of the coins in addition to the buzzer's sound. Buzzer under a receipt can make a sound of thin paper vibrating, and so on.
TGCS Reference 4250
