last week the world’s first ‘smart’ vending machine was installed in tokyo’s shinagawa station.
The new device from aCure not only boasts a touchscreen interface, but it can also recommend a beverage it thinks you’d like as you walk by. The machine’s internal computer takes a reading of passersby to record their age and gender and then recommends a drink based on that information as well as the season, time of day and location of the machine. It’s paperless, too, accepting only cellphone-wallets or the contactless Suica IC card used for public transit in Tokyo. Still, after all that you’d think they’d figure out a way to dispense your drink of choice in a way that doesn’t require you to stoop over. Looks like they are a few more kinks to work out before the proposed design hits stateside.
