The new and improved vending machine that can talk

I love vending machines in Japan - the ones that are found at the corner of single block, filled with some of the best drinks in the world? Well now take that and add the facial recognition technology that recommends drinks based on your age and gender. Pretty neat right? Now you know for a fact you won’t be stuck having to choose between two different drinks! Maybe.

Developed by JR East Water Business Co., these machines use touch panel screens with sensors that allow the machine to determine the age and the gender of its customer. Suggest products also depend on the time of day and the temperature. If the customer is a man in his 50’s, a green tea will be recommended - but if he is a younger male, the recommendation will most likely be a coffee. For females in their 20’s, the recommendation will green tea, something sweeter than the rest according to market research.

In regards to this project, a company spokeswoman as said, “We thought it would make it a lot more fun for the customers to have this kind of interaction with our machines, that it would improve the whole buying experience.” Definitely, it would be so nice to have someone recommend drinks, especially since I am the type to be very indecisive about what I want. I think, to be able to have a machine recognize someone’s gender and age is already a huge feat - I wish we could see them implemented here in the States. The company has so far tested one machine at Tokyo train station, but plan to add 5 more at Toyko Central Station. By 2011, they hope to have expanded to other major Tokyo stations and nearby areas.

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