Walmart's future could include drone assistants and smart carts

Walmart is envisioning a high-tech future for its stores, based on the patents it recently filed. In fact, the devices it's considering sound like they'd be perfect for use in cashier-less stores similar to Amazon's, including a smart cart that can help shoppers navigate Walmart's aisles and find specific products. Another patent is for a wearable that can track either shoppers or employees as they enter and leave the premises. Walmart is also thinking of developing a drone that shoppers can summon with their phones to guide them to the specific item they're looking for. Yet another patent is for a sensor that can detect the product you put in your cart, while three more are for for shelves that can sense the products in stock.