Smart Basket

Smart Basket

Joel Thomas Vincent

Dept. of Computer Science And Engineering

St. Josephs College Of Engineering And Technology

Palai, Kottayam joelthomas909@gamil.com

Kevin George

Dept. of Computer Science And Engineering

St. Josephs College Of Engineering And Technology

Palai, Kottayam kevingm0047@gmail.com

Leyojin Thomas

Dept. of Computer Science And Engineering St. Josephs College Of Engineering And Technology

Palai, Kottayam leyojinthomas36@gmail.com

Nicholas Soman

Dept. of Computer Science And Engineering

St. Josephs College Of Engineering And Technology

Palai, Kottayam nicholassoman01@gmail.com

Jikku Thomas

Dept. of Computer Science And Engineering

St. Josephs College Of Engineering And Technology

Palai, Kottayam jikku.thomas@sjcetpalai.ac.in

AbstractNowadays, shopping has become a daily routine in our lives. People buy various products and place them on the trolley. After the purchase, one needs to go to the billing counter for the payment, which is very time-consuming and at times very frustrating. So our main aim is to modify the existing trolley or basket into our proposed Smart Basket, which will scan the products as the user places them in the basket. Our main objective in designing this prototype is to reduce human efforts by eliminating the queue and the time taken during billing. Our prototype consists of components such as RFID tags, which are used for the identification of the product, and an RFID reader, which scans the product that contains the RFID tag. The details of the scanned products are displayed on the screen. At present, optical barcodes placed on each product are scanned by a barcode reader, and the details of each scanned product will be displayed at the billing counter. This existing cashier checkout system will result in huge queues, which waste customers time. So in our proposed system, each product will have a RFID tag instead of barcodes. Each basket will have a hardware system, which consists of an RFID reader module and a display screen. As each product is placed in the basket, the RFID reader module scans it and displays its details on the screen. Another advantage of this system is that the product does not have to be in the line of sight of the reader for it to scan, as compared to an optical barcode system. After adding all the desired products that they wish to purchase, they can proceed to the payment page within the display module itself. The payment page will generate a QR code that can be scanned by any payment application to complete the purchase.

Index TermsSmart basket, RFID tag, RFID reader, Display screen, Product scanning

1. INTRODUCTION

   Throughout the century, many of the innovations and in- formation technologies have drastically changed, as have our views and expectations. Shopping is a major activity in which humans spend the majority of their time. According to a

   survey, humans spend about 1 to 1.5 hours shopping, and most customers will always walk out of a long line. In the modern world, every supermarket and mall has shopping trolleys and baskets for customers to store their purchased products in. When shopping is done, customers have to proceed to the checkout counter. This billing process is quite time- consuming, so we have to employ more human resources at the billing section.

   To overcome this problem, we are implementing a RFID- based smart trolley system to minimise the rush, save time, and reduce human efforts. Theprototype has some enhanced features that will overcome this queue issue. The smart trolley system is equipped with a RFID tag, an RFID reader, an LCD display, an Arduino Uno, and a buzzer. The RFID tag is attached to a product [1]. When a person puts that product in the trolley, the RFID reader automatically scans the products, and the details regarding the product name, cost, and quantity are displayed on the LCD. When the customer is done with the shopping, the details are sent to the server, and the customer has to just pay the amount and leave the shop. Thus, it has the potential to make shopping more pleasurable, easier, and efficient for the customer.

2. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE

   The purpose of smart basket is to allow a customer to conveniently buy and complete the payment for products without the need to go through the cashier checkout point. The main objectives of the project are as follows:

   • To make shopping process smoother.

   • Reduce time spend in billing section.

   • Allows customers to make payments by themselves with- out standing in a queue.

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   • Reduce manpower and increase profit.

   The main objective in designing the prototype is to reduce human efforts by eliminating the queue in a supermarket and the time taken during billing for the products purchased. We can reduce the time spent in the billing section by allowing the user to make payments for the purchase they made in the supermarket. We can also reduce the manpower needed in the billing section as the products are scanned by the RFID reader module placed in the basket. Thus, ultimately, we can increase the profit of the retailer by reducing the manpower and average time spent by customers in a shop.

3. LITERATURE SURVEY

   The various technologies used to implement the project are discussed below.

   1. RFID

      RFID is a generic term for systems that use RF energy to communicate data but dont store a serial number in a silicon microchip in the transponder. Some tags use plastic or conductive polymers instead of silicon-based microchips. Other tags use materials that reflect back a portion of the radio waves beamed at them. A computer takes a snapshot of the waves beamed back and uses it like a fingerprint to identify the object with the tag. Companies are experimenting with embedding RF reflecting fibers in paper to prevent unau- thorized photocopying of certain documents. There are inks that reflect back radio waves at certain frequencies, enabling farmers, for example, to tattoo a RFID transponder on an animal for identification purposes [4].

      1. : Like various existing RFID technologies, RFID tags are associated with a specific RF reader, which questions the tag and recovers the information contained in it. The operating principle of the reader is based on the emission of a specific electromagnetic (EM) signal toward the tag, and the capture of the signal reflected by the tag. The processing of the signal receivednotably via a decoding stagemakes it possible to recover the information contained in the tag [11].

      2. : However, RFID tags are fundamentally different from RFID tags. In the latter, a specific frame is sent by the reader toward the tag according to a classic binary modulation schema. The tag demodulates this signal, processes the request, possibly writes data in its memory, and sends back a response, modulating its load. RFID tags, on the other hand, function without a communication protocol. They employ a grid of dipole antennas that are tuned to different frequencies. The interrogator generates a frequency sweep signal and scans for signal dips. Each dipole antenna can encode one bit. The fre- quency swept will be determined by the antenna length. They can be viewed as radar targets possessing a specific, stationary temporal or frequential signature. With this technology, the remote reading of an identifier consists of analyzing the radar signature of the tag [5].

      3. : Currently, one of main challenges of the technology is the robustness oftag detection in different environments. It is useless to try to increase the quantity of information that a tag can have if the tag ID cannot be read properly in real environments and without complex calibration techniques [15]. The detection of a tag in noisy environments is much more difficult in than in UHF RFID due to the absence of modulation in time, that is, the absence of two different states in the backscattering signal.

   2. Arduino Uno Rev3

      Arduino UNO is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P. It has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz ceramic resonator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header and a reset button. It contains everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB cable or power it with a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started [7]. You can tinker with your UNO without worrying too much about doing something wrong, worst case scenario you can replace the chip for a few dollars and start over again.

   3. NodeMCU

      NodeMCU is an open source firmware for which open source prototyping board designs are available. The name NodeMCU combines node and MCU (micro-controller unit). Strictly speaking, the term NodeMCU refers to the firmware rather than the associated development kits. Both the firmware and prototyping board designs are open source.

      1. : The firmware uses the Lua scripting language. The firmware is based on the eLua project, and built on the Espressif Non-OS SDK for ESP8266. It uses many open source projects, such as lua-cjson and SPIFFS. Due to resource constraints, users need to select the modules relevant for their project and build a firmware tailored to their needs. Support for the 32-bit ESP32 has also been implemented [9].

      2. : The prototyping hardware typically used is a circuit board functioning as a dual in-line package (DIP) which integrates a USB controller with a smaller surface-mounted board containing the MCU and antenna. The choice of the DIP format allows for easy prototyping on breadboards. The design was initially based on the ESP-12 module of the ESP8266, which is a Wi-Fi SoC integrated with a Tensilica Xtensa LX106 core, widely used in IoT applications.

   4. Inkjet-Printing Technique

      Inkjet printing is a direct-write technology by which the de-sign pattern is transferred directly to the substrate.Inkjet- printing jets the single ink droplet from the nozzle to the desired position, there-fore, no waste is created, resulting in an economical fabrication solution

   5. Split Ring Resonator

      The resonator, an RF component which tunes at particular frequencies can be designed by several means but the closed

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      ring structure is considered to be effective and easier to implement. We have taken one such structure, the Split ring resonator. This structure is obtained by making cuts in the ring structure. For obtaining multiple frequency tunings we use an array of Split Ring Resonators. The array can be formed by placing Split Ring Resonators at a particular distance from each other. The resonating frequencies for these resonators can be adjusted by varying certain parameters like the split width, gap distance, width of the inner and outer rings and the addition of dielectric medium in the gap of the Split Ring Resonator.

   6. Sensor Tag Structure

      ISM band for North America, 902 – 928MHz, is chosen as the frequencies of operation for the sensor tag. Flexible polyimide film, Kapton R HN of 50µm thickness, is used as the substrate. A dipole antenna with an integrated inductive loop is considered in order to achieve high positive reactance at the antenna port. A conductive track with CNT material is placed close to the tag, at high current regions, to load the antenna. The antenna input impedance is optimized to match the NXP UCODE G2iL series microchip impedance at 915MHz. The RFID chip impedance is obtained using the equivalent circuit model of the chip. Simulation tool, Ansys HFSS 15.0, is used for simulation and optimization. The sensor tag consists of two parts, the tag part made of Ag material and sensor part made of CNT. A fictitious switch is considered on the sensor part, offering two modes of operation, Sensor ON (SON) mode ) when the switch is closed and Sensor OFF (SOFF) mode when the switch is open. The impedance match between the sensor tag and RFID chip is optimized for SON mode of operation.

   7. RFID Reader Antenna

      RFID antenna, like any antenna, works on the basic prin- ciple of an electric circuit, which radiates signals in turn for power consumption. Similarly, any passive antenna receives these radio waves to turn them into energy and interpreting the encoding or modulation to understand the data. Antennas have characteristics of their own based on which they perform in the system. These parameters include bandwidth, impedance, beam width, etc. There are usually two antennas in the system. One is in the tag, and the second one is placed in the reader. Along with memory, RFID tags include a tag chip that works with an antenna to transmit unique identification or data, which can be used to track or read information about the accompanying product. The reader antenna usually converts electrical power into radio waves. Where they can define a range of transmission for various applications, and based on that, they consume the energy. An RFID reader is essentially responsible for determining the communicating range and the frequency of transmitting reading RFID antennas have also grown more sophisticated over time and can now fulfill more than simple transmission or reception. Some of these antennas require unique engineering for fulfilling their purpose.

   8. Wearable RFID

   In the present days, wearable sensors gain the highest demand in the market due to their cost-effective, maintenance- free, and potential sensing capabilities. Advanced manufactur- ing technique creates the demand for wearable sensing devices as they are capable of being embedded in stretchable fabrics and soft materials.The design, simulation, and measurement of the planar circular-shaped microstrip antenna on a Taconic TLX-0 substrate with dielectric constant (r)=2 . 45 at 2.43 and 5.8 GHz, respectively, are performed. It is confirmed that the circular-shaped patch antenna is preferable for wearable systems in various environmental conditions.

4. EXISTING SOLUTIONS

   1. SACAT

      They allow one employee to supervise several machine at once as customers scan their own items, weigh produce, input coupons, pay for their transaction, and be on their way. The new systems utilize the aforementioned barcode technology, combined with a touchscreen interface, pre-recorded voice commands, and a system of scales to manage potential thefts. The motivation behind the implementation of these systems was efficiency, as they promise a fast and simple alternative to employee-operated checkout lanes. But the difficulty with this system is that it is expensive to implement and time consuming.

   2. Amazon Go

      With Amazon Go, retail stores can eliminate the need for cashiers. At first, shoppers have to scan their phones in order to enter the store. This is how the store recognizes the shopper as well as the account that needs to be charged for the merchandise which is being sold. Amazon Go uses advanced machine learning algorithms as well as motion sensors to figure out what the consumer has picked up and what they need to be charged for it. Once the scanning is done, the user is shown the final list of products that they have purchased [17]. The user has to validate the same after which their credit card linked to the account gets charged for the sale price. This concept is being called the Scan and Go concept and is the most advanced form of self-checkout technology available today.

   3. Mishi Pay

      With Mishi Pay, shoppers can pick up a product, scan the brcode and pay with their phone, and leave the store with their purchase. The technology integrates with retailers existing systems with no additional hardware. They provide the technology to create the kind of outstanding customer experience They make the in-store shopping experience as enjoyable and convenient as possible, for both customers and retail staff. They bridge the gap between online and offline shopping, giving retailers priceless data about their clients to help them gain a clearer understanding of the customer journey.

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      Fig. 1. Block Diagram diagram

5. PROPOSED SYSTEM

   The main aim is to modify the existing trolley or basket into our proposed Smart Basket, which will scan the products as the user places them in the basket. The prototype consists of components such as RFID tags, which are used for the identification of the product, and an RFID reader, which scans the product that contains the RFID tag. The details of the scanned products are displayed on the screen.

   1. : At present, optical barcodes placed on each product are scanned by a barcode reader, and the details of each scanned product will be displayed at the billing counter. This existing cashier checkout system will result in huge queues, which waste customers time. So in our proposed system, each product will have a RFID tag instead of barcodes. Each basket will have a hardware system, which consists of an RFID reader module and a display screen [12]. As each product is placed in the basket, the RFID reader module scans it and displays its details on the screen. Another advantage of this system is that the product does not have to be in the line of sight of the reader for it to scan, as compared to an optical barcode system [8].

   2. : After adding all the desired products that they wish to purchase, they can proceed to the payment page within the display module itself. The payment page will generate a QR code that can be scanned by any payment application to complete the purchase.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It is our pleasure to offer our heartfelt gratitude to our guide, Prof. Jikku Thomas, for his excellent contribution, capable leadership, encouragement, wholehearted collaboration, and constructive criticism during the period of this endeavor. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Praseetha V M, Project Co-ordinator, Dr. Joby P P, Head of Department, and Dr. V P Devassia, Principal, for encouraging us and enabling us to share our work.

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