Schwarz Digits is trialling a rail installed on the store ceiling in a Lidl store in England, which combines shop lighting with camera technology. The so-called Camera Rail is manufactured by Pyramid Computer. Whilst the Schwarz Group’s technology division is initially testing the technical infrastructure, Pyramid has already further developed the solution, in collaboration with Scality, into a platform for local video AI.
At the Lidl test store, Schwarz Digits is assessing the Camera Rail within the store’s infrastructure. The retail group is analysing the required camera density and validating the viewing angles and sensors. Performance tests of the network environment and the built-in chips are also planned.
As Schwarz Digits explained to The Retail Optimiser upon enquiry, no computer vision applications would be trialled at this stage. As part of the current test, neither image data would be stored nor analysed using artificial intelligence.
Pyramid brings computer vision to the store ceiling
Pyramid first presented the Camera Rail to a large specialist audience at EuroShop 2026 as a prototype for the retail sector. Several modules can be connected to form a rail up to ten metres long. The lighting and camera solution uses a shared power supply. Technicians can adjust the camera angles on site to suit the spatial conditions and the layout of the shelves.
The Camera Rail can be fitted with different types of cameras, which can be used for various applications in the retail sector. Motorised tilt cameras and a downward-facing camera can, for example, help to detect gaps on the shelves, check that product placement matches the planogram, or identify unusual behaviour patterns. Two cameras positioned at a 45-degree angle can also monitor customer flow and queues.
Pyramid develops a comprehensive solution for local video AI
Whilst Schwarz Digits is testing the technical feasibility of the Camera Rail in a Lidl store, Pyramid has since further developed the technology in collaboration with storage technology provider Scality into a comprehensive solution for local video AI. The companies presented this earlier this month at Scality Day in Paris.
Each camera has its own Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which can pre-process basic AI tasks directly on the camera. For more advanced AI analyses, Pyramid combines the camera technology with appropriate software, servers and storage technology. This should enable video data to be analysed and stored directly in the store without having to transfer it to external cloud services.
Lighting-camera rail also for manufacturing and logistics
Pyramid sees potential applications for the Camera Rail beyond the brick-and-mortar retail sector. In production and logistics, for example, the cameras integrated into the lighting rail can, according to the manufacturer, check the position of components on conveyor belts or monitor packaging and dispatch processes.
