Saw something at the library that made me think about AI in a new way

I was at the downtown branch yesterday picking up a book on hold. There's this new self-checkout kiosk they put in, right? It has a screen that shows you how to scan your items. But here's the thing, it wasn't just a static picture. It used a simple camera and a basic AI to watch your hands. If you held the book wrong, a little arrow would pop up on the screen and gently nudge it into the right position for the scanner. It wasn't fancy, no voice or anything, just a visual guide. It felt so... helpful. Not like it was taking a job, but like it was making the one task I had to do easier and faster. It was just a tiny, quiet piece of tech doing one job well. Made me wonder what other small, everyday problems could be smoothed over with a little bit of smart, simple AI like that. Has anyone else seen a small AI helper in a public place that just worked without being annoying?

3 comments

3 Comments

karen_roberts414d ago

The parking garage at St. Luke's Hospital has a sensor that flashes green when a spot is empty. Saves you from driving up and down every aisle.

the_lucas14d ago

My buddy got so used to those green lights at St. Luke's, @karen_roberts4, he almost drove right past an open spot at the grocery store.

mila_harris14d ago

Yeah, the grocery store near me has a digital screen that shows how many carts are available. It's just a number, but it saves you from walking all the way to the corral if they're all out.