Optical item management system

A system comprising:

• an optical sensor array comprising a plurality of optical sensors in a two-dimensional arrangement, each of the plurality of optical sensors generating a corresponding light intensity value indicative of how much light reaches the each of the plurality of optical sensors;
• a structure configured to hold an item proximate to the optical sensor array;
• a memory, storing computer-executable instructions;
• and
• a hardware processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
• receive the corresponding light intensity value from the each of the plurality of optical sensors;
• generate sensor data comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel corresponding to a position within the two-dimensional arrangement and comprising the corresponding light intensity value from a corresponding optical sensor at the position;
• and
• generate footprint data using the sensor data.

A method comprising:

• illuminating an optical sensor array with a light source;
• acquiring first sensor data from the optical sensor array;
• determining, in the first sensor data, a characteristic of a shadow cast by one or more items between the light source and the optical sensor array;
• and
• determining an estimated quantity of the one or more items at an inventory location based on the characteristic of the shadow and based on item data for the one or more items.