Technology Report

By Jude Mead

If you shop at Stop and Shop in Canaan you might encounter Marty, an autonomous robot that roams throughout the store using image technology to notify store employees of any spills, debris or other potential hazards that may impede the safety of the customer. Stefanie Shuman, the communications manager for Stop and Shop, said Marty announces its findings with a loud verbal “ Caution: Hazard” and alerts store personnel through the store’s public announcement system. Marty does not do the clean up. Instead, human employees handle that job. “Marty identifies hazards, such as liquid, powder and bulk food-item spills, so that associates can take corrective clean-up action,” said Shuman.

According to Shuman, Marty is equipped with cameras that enable it to collect still image photographs primarily of store floors. When Marty detects a spill, it says aloud “Caution, hazard detected” in both English and Spanish to alert shoppers and employees that a hazard needs to be resolved. Marty acts like a caution sign, staying in the location of the spill or hazard until an associate comes to remedy the situation. Once the issue has been dealt with, the associate presses a reset button and the robot moves on.

Marty spent years in production before hitting the floors in Stop and Shop.“Retail Business Services have been working with Badger Technologies over the past three years to bring forth an in-store robotics technology that improves efficiencies and frees up associates to spend more time serving and assisting customers in our stores,” said Shuman. She said that Marty piloted in Connecticut in November 2018. 

Marty is a tall, grey machine with large googly eyes and a smile. It moves around on a base with wheels and is equipped with sensors so it can learn the store’s floor plan as well as evade shoppers and equipment. Its friendly appearance catches the attention of most customers as it beeps along the aisles, and children adore him. “Personally speaking, grocery shopping is now much easier with my two-year-old because she is enamored with Marty. She asks to go to Marty’s House (what she calls Stop & Shop),” said Shuman.

The employees also enjoy Marty. “The associates enjoy how Marty frees them up to spend more time serving and interfacing with customers, instead of having to patrol aisles for hazards and spills,” said Shuman. Marty also had some glitches when it was first introduced into the stores. “In some cases, we have changed the location of Marty’s docking station, or remapped his store route based on customer traffic patterns in a particular store to ensure Marty poses minimal disruption,” she said. 

Overall, however, Marty has been very well received. When asked about the future of robots in Stop and Shop Shuman replied, “Stop & Shop is going to continue to invest in our people, our stores and technology to ensure that we remain a market leader and continue to deliver the level of convenience and service our customers expect. We have a long and successful history of driving innovations, and we’ll continue to use technology to enable our associates to serve our customers and communities even more effectively.” 

Shuman emphasized that robots only replace a task, not the people. She sees Marty as a platform that is both practical and functional freeing up the employees to concentrate on customers. “Marty is working out well. The associates especially enjoy having more time to serve customers. Plus, customers—especially kids—have fallen in love with him,” said Shuman. The next time youare at a Stop and Shop keep an eye out for Marty. It will be roaming the aisle for your protection and if you listen you may just hear it call out, “ Cleanup on aisle ten.”