Item illumination based on image recognition

A method, comprising:

• performing, by one or more computing devices having one or more processors:
• receiving a before image of a respective inventory location before a respective unit of the same item is stowed to or picked from the respective inventory location, wherein the respective inventory location is the inventory location or another inventory location;
• receiving an after image of the respective inventory location after the respective unit of that item is stowed to or picked from the respective inventory location;
• determining an identifying image of the item based on a comparison of the before image and the after image;
• obtaining one or more images of an inventory location comprising a unit of an item, wherein the inventory location comprises a plurality of heterogeneous items that are stowed together in the inventory location;
• analyzing the one or more images of the inventory location to determine a position of the unit of the item among the plurality of heterogeneous items stowed in the inventory location, wherein said analyzing comprises performing an image recognition technique based on the identifying image of the item to locate the item within the one or more images of the inventory location;
• and
• instruct light-based illumination of the determined position of the unit of the item in the inventory location among the plurality of heterogeneous items stowed in the inventory location, such that the determined position that is illuminated distinguishes the unit of the item from other ones of the plurality of heterogeneous items in the inventory location.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that when executed by a computer perform:

• obtaining one or more images of an inventory location for a unit of an item, wherein the inventory location comprises a plurality of heterogeneous items that are stowed together in the inventory location;
• analyzing the one or more images of the inventory location to determine a position for the unit of the item among the plurality of heterogeneous items stowed in the inventory location, wherein the inventory location comprises one or more graphical indicators associated with one or more known dimensions that are captured in the one or more images;
• determining a ratio between the one or more known dimensions and one or more dimensions represented in the one or more images of the inventory location based on the one or more graphical indicators captured in the one or more images;
• determining a reference position of the unit of the item represented in the one or more images of the inventory location with respect to the one or more graphical indicators;
• and
• generating, based at least in part on the ratio and the reference position, instructions for illuminating, via light-based illumination, the determined position for the unit of the item in the inventory location.

A system, comprising:

• a laser-enabled device;
• and
• one or more computing devices configured to implement a control system configured to:
• obtain one or more images of an inventory location for a unit of an item, wherein the inventory location comprises a plurality of heterogeneous items that are stowed together in the inventory location;
• and
• analyze the one or more images of the inventory location to determine a position for the unit of the item among the plurality of heterogeneous items stowed in the inventory location;
• for a period of time, continuously analyze imagery in an area surrounding a path of a laser of the laser-enabled device, wherein continuously analyze imagery comprises analyze the imagery to recognize one or more facial features in the imagery;
• and
• instruct the laser-enabled device to discontinue projection of a respective laser when the one or more facial features are recognized in the imagery;
• wherein the laser-enabled device is configured to discontinue projection of a laser in response to receipt of the instruction to discontinue projection of the laser.