Smart Beverage Vending Machines

Parched but feeling indecisive? Worry not: A new beverage vending machine in Japan will tell you what to drink. This “brainy” machine uses facial recognition technology to recommend drinks based on a customer’s age and gender. It’s good not only for wavering customers—sales using the new machines have tripled over those of regular vending machines, according data from JR East Water Business Co., the beverage division for the JR East group.

So next time you’re in Japan, here’s how to recognize this vending machine. When it’s not in use, two large eyes dominate the 47-inch touchscreen. When you approach it, the screen switches to its storefront mode, which displays the available drinks. The camera on the top of the machine determines your age and gender, which the machine uses to “subtly” offer demographically targeted drink selections, as well as collect marketing data based on each customer’s actual choices (don’t worry, no images or information are stored). Payment can be made in cash or with a Suica smartcard on a cell phone.

So who’s sidling up to these smart machines? According to the company, the primary customers are men in their 20s and 30s. The easiest place to find one is in Tokyo train stations; plans for expansion are in the works within Tokyo and nearby suburbs throughout 2011.—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the
author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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