SM-6000 AI
Conad DAO
Retail
DAO Cooperative was founded in 1962, beginning with 20 grocers from Trentino region. Today, DAO brings together over 120 members, and since 2004, it has been distributing Conad stores in the provinces of Trento, Bolzano, Verona, Vicenza, Belluno, and Brescia, with more than 270 outlets.
In 2023, DAO captured the attention of the entire Italian retail sector by opening the country’s first autonomous store in Verona, under Tuday Conad “Prendi&Vai” banner. The store utilises a complex network of cameras, smart shelves with integrated weight sensors, and payment flows connected to the artificial intelligence system developed by the Portuguese company Sensei. In May 2024, the cooperative opened its second autonomous store in Trento, integrating another market-first innovation in Italy: the DIGI SM-6000 AI scale, which uses an integrated AI camera to recognise products in the self-service fruit and vegetable section.
Impressed by the Power of DIGI AI
DAO approached DIGI during the 2024 NRF edition in New York. Among the many interesting solutions presented, the client immediately understood the potential of the SM-6000 AI solution for its new high-tech store format. The speed of automatic recognition, the self-learning algorithm, and the ease of integration with Sensei’s system convinced DAO that this solution was perfect for the upcoming autonomous store.
Seamless integration
After the client’s confirmation, DIGI worked to ensure a quick and smooth interface with Sensei’s system and soon delivered the final solution for the imminent installation in the Trento store. Upon opening, customers were thrilled by the speed and recognition performance of the scale: simply placing the product on the scale prompts the system to suggest the correct product without needing to input codes, drastically reducing usage time and preventing potential product selection errors. Once the label is printed, data is sent to Sensei’s system in seconds, adding the weighed product to the customer’s virtual cart.
Towards a More Sustainable Future
Another feature that caught DAO’s attention during the selection phase is the print quality of DIGI’s scales and the Linerless solution. Equipped with a 300 dpi printer, DIGI scales offer customers high-quality and easily readable prints. Beyond the excellent print quality, a key feature of DIGI’s printers is the use of a built-in auto-cutter, which trims the labels to size, reducing wasted space and maximising the number of labels per roll, thus reducing the need for operators to change rolls frequently.
Additionally, Linerless labels eliminates backing paper, which significantly reduces paper waste, making operations more eco-friendly. This sustainable approach aligns with modern retail’s growing emphasis on minimising environmental impact.
