Walmart wants to make a trolley that tells them how shoppers ‘feel’

THERE’S market research, and then there’s this. Walmart wants to make a shopping trolley that records things like your grip and walking speed. All in the name of retail therapy.

WALMART wants to know exactly how its customers are feeling.

The US retail giant applied for a patent, published in August, for a smart shopping cart that can track a shopper’s heart rate, body temperature, grip and walking speed.

This system would provide the company with a range of information regarding how shoppers are physically responding to different stores.

The patent, titled “System and Method for Biometric Feedback Cart Handle,” would see shopping carts fitted with sensors, primarily from the cart’s handle, that would transmit data to Walmart’s servers.

Walmart has said it won’t collect any personally identifiable data from the smart trolleys. Picture: AP/Gene J. Puskar

According to the patent, the system would allow sales associates to “determine that a check on the user should occur”.

“If biometric indicators show signs of an emergency, the program may also issue a broadcast throughout the store to call associates’ attention to the situation, and could potentially initiate a call for emergency medical help as well,” said technology blog CBInsights.

Walmart said the company would not collect any personally identifiable information, the BBC reports.

This was originally published on Fox News and is reproduced with permission.