Upgrading Brick And Mortar Retail - Weekly Mash-Up 187

Brick and Mortar Retail Is About to Get a Technology Makeover
Fortune

Just like how e-commerce technology has transformed the way consumers search, discover, and shop, augmented reality and artificial intelligence could be the key to reviving traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. An example? Instead of adding more to the shopping environment, AR could actually subtract items from view and help consumers focus on specific objects lost in all the visual clutter. Read more

Here's Why You Should Care About The ‘Soft Robot’ That’s In Development
Mashable

Forget what you think you know about robots. Researchers in South Korea are developing a new type of ‘soft’ robot, or DeployBot. Ideal for space missions, the robot is akin to an invertebrate organism, and can function without the use of motors or other mechanical bits, instead relying on a shape memory alloy that runs through each section. DeployBot could be the very solutuon to fuel the exploration of unchartered territory in space. Read more

Virtual Reality’s Missing Element: Other People
MIT Technology Review

A thought-provoking read on the opportunities and challenges that virtual reality has for socialising in the future. Although big companies have provided virtual spaces to “hang out” with your friends, VR headsets are still pricey, which could leave you playing Ping-Pong by yourself. However, with further development, VR could provide a promising and profound way to interact with far-flung friends and family. Read more

Mobile Marketing Methods That Move Customers To Buy
Forbes

Mobile is one of most popular platforms used by many, and knowing the right way to utilise it could have exceptional consequences for your business. Capitalising on the knowledge that consumers tend to price-compare whilst in-store, retailers could provide the best shopping experience for consumers by becoming more mobile-optimised. An example could be improved mobile-wallet integration. Read more