Interactive shop windows for customer engagement

In an increasingly digital society, small and mid-sized retailers face growing pressure to stand out among predominantly online interactions. This project explores how gesture-based, touchless technology can revitalize traditional storefronts by enabling dynamic, personalized engagement without physical contact.

Demonstration of the interactive shop window display

Initial situation

Traditional shop window displays rely on passive visual content that does not invite meaningful interaction. Despite the prevalence of digital screens in urban storefronts, these installations often act merely as animated posters, lacking the capacity for personalized engagement when passersby first encounter the display.

Problem statement / Project goal

The goal of this thesis is to conceptualize and implement an interactive shop window that enables touchless interaction via gesture recognition. By leveraging computer vision and open-hand/fist gestures, the system allows users to navigate on-screen content without touching the surface, addressing hygiene concerns while enhancing accessibility and customer experience in public retail spaces.

Solution developed and its benefits

The implemented system uses a standard RGB camera to capture hand gestures, processed by a customized MediaPipe pipeline for hand landmark detection. An open-hand moves an on-screen cursor, and a closed-fist confirms selections. The backend runs on a Raspberry Pi, communicating with the browser-based frontend via WebSocket. This architecture ensures a cost-effective, scalable deployment that integrates seamlessly with existing storefront infrastructure.

• Touchless control preserves hygiene in public spaces
• Low-cost hardware: RGB camera and Raspberry Pi
• Real-time performance
• Robust detection through adaptive thresholding and error handling
• Structured usability tests validate user attraction and retention
• Extensible design permits future gesture vocabulary additions

The modular software stack and WebSocket communication enable easy updates and remote maintenance, offering retailers a flexible tool for enhancing customer engagement without extensive physical modifications.

Testimonial
«Wir sind überzeugt, dass diese Innovation neue Massstäbe für die digitale Kundeninteraktion setzt.»
Selim Jorns, Digital Business Solution GmbH

Key terms

• Gesture recognition touchless interaction
• MediaPipe real-time hand tracking
• WebSocket low-latency communication
• Interactive retail customer engagement
• Raspberry Pi cost-effective deployment

Customer

Digital Business Solution GmbH
Selim Jorns
Haldensteinstrasse 3
5225 Bözberg
www.shopwindow.app

Team