In the mood for twinkie? In the future, you may need a snack machine's approval.
The Luce X2 Touch TV vending machine has facial-recognition technology, meaning it can, apparently, identify customers and remember their snacking profiles.
That means, for instance, that it could offer you your favorite chips??or perhaps deny you an unhealthy snack based on your age or medical records. If the user's snack choice doesn't fit their profile, the Luce X2 won't dispense the item.
Similar technology has been debuted by other companies; a version produced by software firm SAP can even link to your social media accounts so you can give gifts to friends.
But there have been some questions about the machine. For instance, "what if you're 30 and the machine thinks you're 40" and denies foods accordingly? Well, this isn't a big-brother situation, says a rep for Luce X2 supplier Smart Vend Solutions. "It's not as if it's going to spy on you," he says, noting that users don't have to opt in to the data tracking system.
Smart Vend Solutions, a creator of the Luce X2, just unveiled the machine in U.K.. They said it can be programmed to keep children from buying cigarettes, hospital patients away from salty or sugary foods and keep dieters on track, which could redefine the automatic retailing industry.
As for SAP's smart vending machines, a senior director interviewed by Tom's saw chips and sodas as just the beginning; he said some companies have expressed interest in using the machines to get equipment to their employees.
This summer, Coca-Cola tested the use of a similar machine in Australia that collected sales and interacted with users by way of a digital LED screen and integrated camera. Whether the Luce X2 has a future in the US isn't yet certain.
