Nowi and Opticon Share Expertise to Develop Perpetually Powered ESLs for a Smarter Retail

AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The retail industry is gradually shifting towards technology-driven automated solutions to create a new shopping experience for its customers, to operate more efficiently and in search of sustainable solutions. An Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) system plays an essential role in this shift towards automation, providing retailers to update it remotely and display additional product parameters on shelves, such as promotions and loyalty programs.

Opticon and Nowi are proud to collaborate on new Electronic Shelf Label solutions for improved in-store customer experience and as a sustainable alternative to traditional smart retail systems. By combining Nowi’s Energy Harvesting Power Management IC (PMIC), the NH2, with PV cells on an Electronic Shelf Label, manufactured by Opticon, powered by a battery will enable to make it ‘Energy Autonomous’ or self-powered. The NH2 is optimised to extract low power from indoor lights in supermarkets, via a PV panel, and boost the voltage to efficiently charge the battery, hence powering the ESL at a low cost.

“We aim to develop new solutions to maximize retail chain’s profitability and operations. Actually, another trend we are focusing on is the peak in demand for eco-friendly products”, says Dick de Haas, International Sales Manager at Opticon Sensors Europe. “In collaboration with Nowi, we are developing cost-efficient cutting-edge solutions which will allow ESLs to never lose power, making it a smarter and more reliable system for retailers”.

Retailers can boost revenues and optimize their operations thanks to the benefits of Perpetually Powered ESLs:

• Promotion & Replenishment features possible by increasing daily updates (dynamic pricing) and using LED blinks (smart restocking)
• ESL lifetime no longer limited by power becoming a fully reliable affordable system which displays prices at all times
• Reduced maintenance & operational costs by eliminating the need for costly individual battery swaps
• Sustainable alternative by avoiding the constant disposal of polluting batteries

For more in-depth information, Opticon & Nowi have decided to provide their expertise in a webinar which will occur in Autumn 2021. Invitation with link will follow.

“In an increasingly connected world, retail is being transformed to a smarter, more user-focused, personnel-friendly and sustainable environment”, explains Simon van der Jagt, Nowi CEO. “Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) are now becoming the norm and enabling perpetual power will definitely provide for a better customer in-store experience and an improved profitability for stores”.

www.opticon.com

www.nowi-energy.com