Vending machines may not seem like a place for cutting edge technology, but that is changing and quickly. Last year, Pepsi created a Social Vending machine that allowed you to gift a soda to a friend and the machine would text them with a code to receive it. At the University of Texas, a robotic barista from Briggo was installed that serves up coffee drinks ordered on site or via smartphone. And it’s not just drinks — an Italian company has also created a vending machine that makes and bakes fresh pizza.
Considering the relatively low cost of a Kinect compared to a vending machine, it makes sense that a company would try to use the tech for its advantage. ...
Like the dance games though, the machine must assess the behaviors of the participants to gauge whether they deserve a free Coke. ...