Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

A snow shovel that has a shaft, a handle, and a scoop to allow the user to remove unwanted snow and ice from a surface. This shovel includes a heated bottom edge with a vibrating motor to melt and dislodge ice or snow from a surface. The shovel also includes a vibration-reducing mechanism to dampen the vibrations that a user might feel during the use of this shovel, along with sensors that detect when the heated edge and motor should be turned on or off.

A snow shovel that has a shaft, a handle, and a scoop to allow the user to remove unwanted snow and ice from a surface. This shovel includes a heated bottom edge with a vibrating motor to melt and dislodge ice or snow from a surface. The shovel also includes a vibration-reducing mechanism to dampen the vibrations that a user might feel during the use of this shovel, along with sensors that detect when the heated edge and motor should be turned on or off.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in monitoring product placement within a shopping facility. Some embodiments provide an apparatus configured to determine product placement conditions within a shopping facility, comprising: a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications; a product monitoring control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled with the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: obtain a composite three-dimensional (3D) scan mapping corresponding to at least a select area of the shopping facility and based on a series of 3D scan data; evaluate the 3D scan mapping to identify multiple product depth distances; and identify, from the evaluation of the 3D scan mapping, when one or more of the multiple product depth distances is greater than a predefined depth distance threshold from the reference offset distance of the product support structure.

A snowbank deconstructing system includes a dulled motorized instrument configured to make repetitive, low-impact contact with accumulated snow. The dulled motorized instrument is configured to be safe to human touch during the repetitive, low-impact contact with the accumulated snow.

An autonomous snowbank deconstructing system includes an autonomous vehicle, one or more boom arms coupled to the autonomous vehicle, and a dulled shovel component coupled to the one or more boom arms. The autonomous vehicle is configured to autonomously gather loose debris to form one or more debris piles with repetitive, low-impact contact of the dulled shovel component with the loose debris, and autonomously deconstruct accumulated debris with repetitive, low-impact contact of the dulled shovel component with the accumulated debris.

An autonomous snowbank deconstructing system includes an autonomous vehicle, one or more boom arms coupled to the autonomous vehicle, and a dulled shovel component coupled to the one or more boom arms. The autonomous vehicle is configured to autonomously gather loose debris to form one or more debris piles with repetitive, low-impact contact of the dulled shovel component with the loose debris, and autonomously deconstruct accumulated debris with repetitive, low-impact contact of the dulled shovel component with the accumulated debris.

Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a retail facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the retail facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.

Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a retail facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the retail facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.