Wal-Mart has started quietly testing a university-created robot designed to help visually impaired consumers navigate store aisles and find their desired products. The robot–named RG, for Robotic Guide–is the creation of Vladimir Kulyukin, an assistant professor of computer science at Utah State University and the director of the university’s Computer Science Assistive Technology Laboratory. The initial version of RG–which weighs about 22 pounds and is roughly the height of an upright vacuum cleaner–is limited to three basic functions. It can guide the customer around the store, communicate with the user, and locate products.