Wal-Mart May Be 'Hiring' Shopping Assistants For Patrons: Robotic Shopping Carts That Tell You What To Buy

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. WMT is teaming up with Five Elements Robotics to develop a shopping cart that relieves customers from the strain of pushing while helping them find items on their shopping lists, according to a report on ZDNet.

The reported move is part of Wal-Mart's efforts to have an edge against online giant Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN.

Related Link: Wal-Mart Finds A Big Partner In China

ZDNet said the announcement that Walmart is considering robotic shopping carts came from Five Elements CEO Wendy Roberts last week at the Bloomberg Technology Conference.

The report said Walmart is being rather "hush-hush about the project," and has so far declined to comment on the development.

Shares of Wal-Mart closed Tuesday's regular trading session at $71.46.