Mobile item identifying apparatus

A mobile apparatus comprising:

• a frame having one or more wheels for riding along a support surface and configured to enable the mobile apparatus to nest with a first nested mobile apparatus at a first end and with a second nested mobile apparatus at a second end opposite the first end;
• a user-facing module including at least a user interface coupled to the frame at a handlebar;
• a basket configured for receiving items selected by a user of the mobile apparatus, the basket cantilevered over a first portion of the frame;
• and
• a scale module coupled between the frame and the basket at a second portion of the frame, the scale module comprising:
• a bottom plate coupled to the frame at the second portion of the frame;
• a top plate coupled to a bottom of the basket;
• and
• a plurality of load cells positioned between and connecting the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the load cells comprise beam load cells coupled to the top plate at a first end and to the bottom plate at a second end, the plurality of load cells configured to communicate with the user-facing module for determining a weight of items added to the basket, wherein the plurality of load cells comprise three load cells arranged in a triangular arrangement with:
• a first load cell positioned within the scale module adjacent a rear of the basket;
• and
• a second load cell and a third load cell positioned within the scale module positioned at a first position along a length of the basket;
• and
• wherein the user-facing module is configured to receive signals from the plurality of load cells to determine a two-dimensional location of items placed in the basket based on a change in the center of gravity of the basket in response to an item being added to the basket.

A smart shopping cart comprising:

• a frame having one or more wheels for riding along a support surface;
• a computing device coupled to the frame;
• a basket configured for receiving items selected by a user of the smart shopping cart, the basket cantilevered over a first portion of the frame;
• a scale module coupled between the frame and the basket at a second portion of the frame, the scale module comprising:
• a bottom plate coupled to the frame at the second portion of the frame;
• a top plate coupled to a bottom of the basket;
• and
• a plurality of load cells positioned between and connecting the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the load cells comprise beam load cells coupled to the top plate at a first end and to the bottom plate at a second end, the plurality of load cells configured to communicate with a user-facing module for determining a weight of items added to the basket, wherein the plurality of load cells comprise three load cells arranged in a triangular arrangement with:
• a first load cell positioned within the scale module adjacent a rear of the basket;
• and
• a second load cell and a third load cell positioned within the scale module positioned at a first position along a length of the basket;
• and
• the user-facing module including at least a user interface coupled to the frame at a handlebar, wherein the user-facing module is configured to receive signals from the plurality of load cells to determine a two-dimensional location of items placed in the basket based on a change in the center of gravity of the basket in response to an item being added to the basket.