0:00:28 > 0:00:32If there was ever a time of year when shops want to lure in
0:00:32 > 0:00:34the customers, it's Christmas time.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38This shop doesn't have any tinsel, but it does have hidden trickery.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42It knows I'm coming even before I have arrived.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45The reason it knows where I am is because I have a loyalty
0:00:45 > 0:00:47card with an RFID chip inside.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50It can detect wherever I am.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52We are across the street.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56It will send me a personalised offer via text message.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Excellent, 20% off Neroli.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02I have no idea what that is.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06It might be smelly.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08If a shopper walks past too many times but doesn't come in,
0:01:08 > 0:01:19that is the time to send the cracking offer to entice them in.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Every customer gets a different discount because the system
0:01:21 > 0:01:24knows which products they have bought with their loyalty card.
0:01:24 > 0:01:51Most importantly, what current stock they are most likely to buy.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The Dandy Lab in trendy east London might look like the ordinary posh,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56trendy shop, but is also an actual lab for
0:01:56 > 0:01:58testing the latest shopping tech.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01I am sure stores in the street want to be able to do what online
0:02:01 > 0:02:04shops do, and offer us targeted products at every opportunity.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07But, in order to target more, they need to know more about the target.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Take a look at this.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11I know shops are interested in footfall, but here,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14when you walk in, what you are walking in in is analysed.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Yes, apparently shoes say a lot about us, heels, trainers,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19shoe size are some of the features this software is looking for.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23At the moment it can figure out the number of shoppers coming in,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26the gender and whether they've come in on their own or with family.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28The idea was to invent a technology that could profile
0:02:28 > 0:02:31people and be used in store to count and profile people's demographics.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33But it was not privacy invasive.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Most solutions out there right now, like facial recognition, people
0:02:35 > 0:02:38don't like them, they think they are creepy in a real-world environment.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But this is just the starting point.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43The artificially intelligent algorithm will get better
0:02:43 > 0:02:46in time and start building profiles for different types of customers,
0:02:46 > 0:02:52categorising them based on their shoe choice and then making
0:02:52 > 0:02:54predictions about types of products they are more likely to buy.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Now, in here, there is a device which
0:02:59 > 0:03:01tracks the Wi-Fi pings of customers' smart
0:03:01 > 0:03:02phones as they move around the shop.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05It is really accurate, so they can tell where people are
0:03:05 > 0:03:08stopping and looking, to work out which displays are working best.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13And they can build up a kind of heat map of movement around the shop.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Up here, two security cameras which record video throughout the
0:03:16 > 0:03:21day, upload them to a server, ready for some clever video analysis.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Age-group, type of clothes and facial expressions are important,
0:03:24 > 0:03:30combine that with the news and the weather and you might be able to
0:03:30 > 0:03:35predict what I am in the mood for right now And it is not only about
0:03:35 > 0:03:40enticing us to come in, but also to stay in for longer.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42This immersive box at the moment is just running
0:03:42 > 0:03:46a game, but in future the RFID loyalty card could trigger a more
0:03:46 > 0:03:51personalised shopping experience.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Once you know who is walking past your shop, here is something
0:03:54 > 0:03:58interesting you can do - change your shop window to greet them.
0:03:58 > 0:04:14This is very cool.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18and that means you can change this display depending on the time of day
0:04:18 > 0:04:25or who is walking past that time.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Sensors in shops are already becoming commonplace but what
0:04:29 > 0:04:36if the fabric in your clothes also contains sensors?
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Every single item across all of these shelves is uniquely tagged
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and we know who the shopper is.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The idea is the shopper can simply come into the store,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48pick up the items off the shelves and simply walk out of the store.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53But, and it is a big but, and it does look big in this, will we be
0:04:53 > 0:04:58happy to be uniquely identified, even by the clothes we are wearing?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Ironically it is thanks to online shopping that we are now getting
0:05:09 > 0:05:12more used to the personalized approach and being more known
0:05:12 > 0:05:13by the places at which we shop.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16For many shoppers, the biggest challenge is knowing
0:05:16 > 0:05:19what suits them and the Fitle app is one attempt to replicate the
0:05:19 > 0:05:20real-life fitting room experience.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23In under a minute it creates an avatar of you so you can
0:05:23 > 0:05:27virtually try on clothes.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30It is pretty simple to setup and while you don't need a whole TV
0:05:30 > 0:05:33studio, a plain white wall is what you are
0:05:33 > 0:05:37after and you do need to be wearing these sort of clothes or underwear.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41And if you have got long hair, make sure it is back off your face.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Once you open the app, you tell ir your gender,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48date of birth, height and weight.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Place it down on the floor leaning against something and then
0:05:51 > 0:05:55make sure you are in the position you are meant to be standing in.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Now it is time for a selfie.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Haircolor, eyecolor and it is ready and we can go see my avatar.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05I'm quite disturbed that it has taken my clothes off!
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Do I actually look like that?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Well, the avatar may not be that flattering, but there is also this
0:06:12 > 0:06:14measurements section which estimates all your measurements,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18which should help for purchasing clothes in the right size.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22It is early days for the app with most of its partners only being
0:06:22 > 0:06:25in France but over the coming months they plan on expanding into
0:06:25 > 0:06:28the UK, German and US markets with a function to make sure you are
0:06:28 > 0:06:41selecting the right size, being launched imminently.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Mtailor works in a similar way,
0:06:43 > 0:06:44using the phone's camera to measure
0:06:44 > 0:06:50men for their perfect fitting shirt in under 30 seconds.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52As well as getting the sizing right and customised
0:06:52 > 0:06:55designs, offer choices on fit, cuff, buttons, and all the trimmings with
0:06:55 > 0:07:03an end result less costly than a real tailor making it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Sometimes you know what you want but you struggled with where to find
0:07:06 > 0:07:09it and that is why some retailers have started plugging artificial
0:07:09 > 0:07:15intelligence engines into their offerings.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18With Canadian shoe website, ShoeMe, for instance, instead of using words
0:07:18 > 0:07:21to describe what you are after, you click on the pictures you like to
0:07:21 > 0:07:25indicate what you were looking for.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28I am thinking higher heels and I was after
0:07:28 > 0:07:33a fringe or some kind of tassle.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38The site uses artificial intelligence to prepare the shoes
0:07:38 > 0:07:41you are looking for and I was surprised that out of nearly
0:07:41 > 0:07:4430,000 pairs available here, it came out with these, what I had in mind,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46with just about four clicks.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49The background technology called sentient awareness should soon be
0:07:49 > 0:07:51rolled out internationally across handbags, clothes,
0:07:51 > 0:07:59jewellery and even property.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Most of this is still in its infancy but it does give us a taste
0:08:03 > 0:08:15of how real our virtual shopping trips may feel in the future.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18And finally, for this week, a true masterpiece.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Meet James, who has been building his own droids on his YouTube
0:08:21 > 0:08:25channel for several years now.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30This is part 19 of my 3-D printing Star Wars R6 project.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34His videos have had over 60 million views and even lead to him being
0:08:34 > 0:08:40offered a job creating, yep, robots.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44And what better way to show off his maker skills then with a dance off?
0:08:44 > 0:08:50And now, James and R6X4 perform the waltz.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57LAUGHTER.
0:08:57 > 0:09:05Look at it!
0:09:05 > 0:09:08R6, as he is known to his Rebel friends, took over eight months
0:09:08 > 0:09:11of work, 450 hours of 3-D printing, a little bit of hacking
0:09:11 > 0:09:14and a whole lot of coding, much of which James created himself.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Yes, he is a fully functional droid come out right
0:09:17 > 0:09:19down to the utility arms, periscope and retractable third leg.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Oi!
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Keep that away from me, this is our first date!
0:09:23 > 0:09:26But if that is not the droid you're looking for, witness the power
0:09:26 > 0:09:34of this fully operational BB8!
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Hello.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Now, BB8, for those of you not versed in the way of the force,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45it the spherical droid that has proved a massive hit with Star Wars
0:09:45 > 0:09:53fans all based on just a few seconds of footage in the new trailer.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57When I first saw BB8 in the trailer, I thought there was no way that
0:09:57 > 0:10:00could exist in the real world.
0:10:00 > 0:10:07It had to be CGI, there was no way that head could balance on a body.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Since then I have been proven incredibly wrong, of course.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12In a nutshell, how does the head stay on the body?
0:10:12 > 0:10:15It has a magnetic coupling and the head has wheels underneath, so
0:10:15 > 0:10:18it is moved around from the inside.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20So it is stuck to it by magnets?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Very expensive magnets.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27But balancing the head is not the hardest part,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30it is actually keeping the internal stuff upright so the head can stick
0:10:30 > 0:10:33to it, all of which took James many sleepless nights, some serious
0:10:33 > 0:10:36maths, internal mechanics, his own code and a PID controller.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38That's proportional integral derivitive controller.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42But, of course, you knew that.
0:10:42 > 0:10:52Inside we have a flywheel which spins around.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53That is full of two pence pieces.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57?11.62 to be precise.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59As it spins, it pushes in the other direction
0:10:59 > 0:11:03and if I move it very slowly, then I can spin it all around.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Just when you thought my Christmas had come early, next week is
0:11:06 > 0:11:10the proper Click Christmas special and for that I can promise you all
0:11:10 > 0:11:11kinds of festive weirdness.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13We will see you then.
0:11:13 > 0:11:14Yeah.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Same to you.