Imagine working on a DIY project and losing one of the screws needed to put things back together. Now you can take a picture of the like screw you still have, and Amazon’s “Part Finder” feature on its app will help you identify it so you can order more. (Or you could visit your local hardware store and ask the clerk, if that’s an option.)
TechCrunch discovered the image-search feature on the Amazon app this month and wrote about it here:
“The feature is currently capable of identifying over 100 types of fasteners which represents thousands, if not millions of parts, Amazon says. It was built using technology developed by Partpic, a company Amazon acquired in 2016.”
Some day in the not-to-distant future, 3D printers might be as common as microwave ovens. At that point, a parts finder could be tied to a blueprint service so someone could conceivably print out the screw or fastener they need on their printer, and be able to wrap up their projects much faster.
