Students at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) will be the first in the Southern Hemisphere to shop on campus with Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, at a new convenience store, YalaPlus, at the CIT Bruce Campus, launched today.

At YalaPlus, students will use their credit card or mobile wallet at the entry gate. Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology then detects what they take from or return to the shelves, and creates a virtual shopping session. When students complete their shopping, they can leave the store without waiting in line, and their credit card gets charged for the items they take.

Just Walk Out uses artificial intelligence (AI) like computer vision and deep learning techniques to help students to get in and out quickly and seamlessly. The technology uses synthetic datasets that accurately mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios – including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of shoppers.

The CIT Student Association (CITSA) will open two more stores at CIT Fyshwick and Bruce campuses early next year.

Andrew Scotford, CEO of the CITSA, said the innovative stores would create an improved and more flexible student experience.

“Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology will benefit all students, especially those studying outside of regular business hours,” he said. “Many CIT students are balancing work, study, and training, so flexibility and accessibility are important to them. There are also 48 students who live on the CIT Bruce Campus who don’t have easy access to nearby shopping. YalaPlus now offers convenient access to products such as food, beverages, and other essential items.”

The technology is also used in Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

Canberra Daily is keen to hear from you about a story idea in the Canberra and surrounding region. Click here to submit a news tip.