The need to fuse online and offline experiences and fulfill anytime-anywhere convenience has retail executives concerned about the maturity of their customer experience and supply chain capabilities, according to new research from JDA Software, Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.

Olympus Automation Ltd. (OAL), UK, launched APRIL Eye, what is said to be the world’s first artificial intelligence-based vision system for date code verification.

Inpixon, Palo Alto, Calif., announced a technology integration collaboration with SAS, a Cary, N.C.-based provider of advanced analytics software (SAS).

ePallet, a Los Angeles-based artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform, raised $3 million in funding.

Following successful pilots that improved in-store efficiencies and freed up employees to better serve customers, GIANT Food Stores, Carlisle, Pa., introduced Marty, a new robotic assistant.

The Kroger Co., Cincinnati, and Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., announced a collaboration to redefine the customer experience using Kroger Technology products powered by Microsoft Azure.

Indigo Ag, Inc., Boston, Mass., acquired TellusLabs, a Cambridge, Mass.-based provider of satellite imaging for developing agricultural insights.

Tobii Pro, Reston, Va., launched Tobii Pro Nano, what is said to be the world’s smallest research-grade eye tracker.

Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and r4 Technologies, Ridgefield, Conn., announced a wide-ranging collaboration focused on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to new domains.

Farmstead raised an additional $2.2 million venture round from ARTIS Labs, San Francisco; Resolute Ventures, San Francisco; Y Combinator, Mountain View, Calif.; Red Dog Capital, San Francisco; and other investors, bringing the total raised to date to $7.5 million.