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Tally the robot could be the stock boy of the future

By Danielle Haynes
Tally the robot makes its way down an isle, checking the inventory at the Schnucks Market in Richmond Heights, Mo., on Monday. The 30-pound robot is equipped with sensors to help it navigate through the store, detecting product that is not fully stocked and avoiding customer carts. That data is sent to store management so changes can be made. Tally will be tested over six weeks. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
1 of 5 | Tally the robot makes its way down an isle, checking the inventory at the Schnucks Market in Richmond Heights, Mo., on Monday. The 30-pound robot is equipped with sensors to help it navigate through the store, detecting product that is not fully stocked and avoiding customer carts. That data is sent to store management so changes can be made. Tally will be tested over six weeks. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A St. Louis-area grocery store on Monday introduced customers to a new employee who doesn't take bathroom breaks or need to call in sick -- Tally the robot.

The Schnucks Markets grocery store in Richmond Height, Mo., was the first of three locations expected to test the new technology in the coming weeks. If all goes well, Tally the robot could be showing up in supermarkets across the country.

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Tally, which is made by Sime Robotics, is a slim, black-and-white autonomous robot that moves around the store similar to a Roomba vacuum. Its task is to scan shelves to check prices, and alert employees if products need to be restocked or are incorrectly placed.

"We're starting Tally's pilot with a focus on in-stock position, but we're hopeful that Tally may open up a world of other possibilities with the shelf data it collects," said Dave Steck, Schnucks vice president of IT-Infrastructure.

The testing is expected to last six weeks and will include two other Schnucks stores -- one in Chesterfield, Mo., and another in St. Louis.

"We're excited to see what this partnership brings," Steck said. "This is just one of many ways that Schnucks is staying at the forefront of technology to enhance our customers' shopping experiences."

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