How Robotics and Virtual Reality are Redefining the Moscow Supermarket

By donning a virtual reality headset, shoppers can interface directly with the automated kiosk, controlling its movements or viewing product information in an immersive format. This hands-on technology bridges the gap between physical retail and digital convenience.

While fully automated grocery shopping is still in its early stages, these pilot programs showcase the potential of smart supermarkets. Moscow continues to serve as a testing ground for innovations that may soon define the global retail experience.

In a brightly lit supermarket aisle in Moscow, Russia, a man wearing a VR headset over his hair and forehead is interacting with a tall, vertical robotic kiosk. The kiosk has a large, angled touchscreen display at chest height and a robotic arm with a basket attached, extended towards shelves stocked with bottled water. The man, dressed in a casual grey t-shirt and black pants, is looking intently at the screen, his right hand hovering near it. The shelves are filled with rows of assorted water bottles, with labels in Cyrillic script visible. The aisle features polished tile flooring and overhead fluorescent lighting. The background reveals more shelves and shopping carts, indicating a typical retail environment.

A robot arm, attached to a larger robotic base, is in a grocery store aisle filled with shelves of bottled water. The robot arm has a basket attached to it, which contains several bottles of water. The arm is reaching out towards a bottle of water on a shelf. The robot is on wheels and appears to be autonomously navigating the aisle. The shelves are well-stocked and organized, with various brands and types of bottled water. The lighting in the store is typical fluorescent lighting. The video is shot from a medium distance, focusing on the robot and its immediate surroundings.

A person wearing a VR headset and holding a controller stands in front of a tall, black and white robotic device in a grocery store aisle. The robot has a robotic arm extended and is positioned near a shelf stocked with bottles of water. The person appears to be operating the robot, which is facing a wall of assorted bottled drinks.