Living on my own again means that regular trips to the supermarket have (once again) become a necessity rather than an indulgence. I've just been reacquainted with all the annoyances of shopping in one: the missing shelf labels, vague aisle signs, elusive shop assistants, long checkout queues, etc.

Enter the U-Scan Shopper. This is a regular shopping trolley, but with a wireless touch-screen computer mounted on it. Once you've collected your 'smart' trolley, download your shopping list so that you don't forget what you came to buy. As you cruise the aisles, you can use the computer to give you the location and availability of what you want. If the shelf label is missing, scan the item to look the price up. The computer will advertise the specials in each aisle so you never miss a bargain. You can order in-store things (such as from the deli or the pharmacy) and receive an alert once they're ready for pick-up. Some exotic ingredient caught your fancy? Look up suitable recipes on the spot. Scan and bag your shopping as you go, and the computer gives you a running total (useful for those who always spend more than they'd intended), and hopefully, you can zip through checkout when you're done.

From ABC The World Today.