Robots being placed in grocery stores to prevent slip and falls

There are millions of slip and fall accidents in the United States each year. Some reports suggest over 300 thousand injuries and around 15 thousand deaths occur as a result. However, this might all be changing— especially in grocery stores.

According to a recent article in the Claims Journal, a wheeled robot named Marty will be heading into 500 grocery stores around the United States in the next few months. The reason? Researchers have designed the Marty to alert grocery store employees about spills that might potentially cause slip and fall accidents.

How does it work?

Each Marty is equipped with a video camera. Behind the camera are human employees who monitor the video footage as the robot moves around the store. If the employee notices a spill, such as a broken glass jar or liquid spill, the robot will send a message over the speaker system to alert store employees to address the spill.

The robots are designed with up to eight video cameras. The Marty also has the ability to stop and go based on sensors located in the internal system, which means they should not have problems running into patron’s carts. Researchers and grocery store owners hope that the robots will be able to detect low inventory and monitor other grocery store happenings in the future.

Slip and fall accidents can be devastating, and not every grocery store in America will be equipped with this technology. If you or a loved one sustain an injury in a slip and fall accident, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your options and fight for the compensation you deserve.