Remember that old IBM commercial that showed a suspicious character in a grocery store stuffing his trench coat full of groceries? As the man tries to exit the store, a security guard stops him…and tells him he forgot his receipt!

The ad was anticipating a technology that has now become a reality.

Giant Food is one chain that's introduced handheld scanners in about one-third of their stores, according to The Washington Post. These devices scan your groceries while you shop and keep a running tally of your total bill as you put them in your cart.

Say goodbye to checkout lines!

Clark expects this technology to have a major impact in the grocery industry. For example, he anticipates it will free up store personnel to focus on shoplifting and internal theft.