Abstract
Placing orders in food outlets only to wait for an extra fifteen to twenty to get the ordered products. Seems tiring. What if we could save our time by 50 to 60% and get our food in less than 5 minutes? This can be achieved by vending machines; they are customer service machines that dispense selling products such as snacks, beverages, lottery tickets, and even accessories to customers without the aid of humans. It is vital to save time and human energy. These vending machines are developed in the way of Non loT based and loT-based methods. they are controlled by a microcontroller and distributed to the given inputs. It is found that most of the vending machines developed are capable of operating without IoT technology which has a cashless payment facility. Nowadays, vending machine systems are required to implement using IoT with machine learning, and artificial technologies to satisfy customer preferences.
Introduction
Nowadays Vending machines make grocery shopping so easy, normally people go out grocery shopping to marts which are crowded and uncomfortable for those who are introverts and for those who are not fond of activities like grocery shopping. This has impacts on their mental health and their physical being. Similarly, Vending machines require minimal human intervention to carry out the work. Normally at marts, people touch products such that vegetables to identify their quality. This leads to many infectious diseases and hygienic problems. In addition, marts also have workers who are needed to be paid and hence results in less profit, therefore automatic vending machines are more profitable without the use of human intervention.
They have many benefits as they are convenient, less time taking, more profitable, etc. Hence, Vending machines are used worldwide. Amid the covid 19 crisis usage of vending machines has increased highly.
The first vending machine was created in 1887 and is known as the Sweetmeat Automatic Delivery Co by Thomas Adams Gum Co. The first vending machine in the United States was installed in New York on the elevated subway platforms and sold Tutti Fruity gum, the next year.
Difference between a Custom Vending machine and Vending Machine
Standard Vending Machines: they are pre-built and readily available in the market. They offer a range of commonly used items such that snacks, beverages, cigarettes, lottery tickets, or personal care products. They come with a fixed mass configuration layout and are often operated by a third-party vending machine operator who maintains and stocks the machines.
Custom Vending Machine: they are designed and built to cater for products that are unique and services that may not be suitable for a standard vending machine. These machines are made to meet specific requirements, like size, shape, and more importantly, the functionality needed for dispensing particular items.
Types of vending machine
There are multiple types of vending machines. They provide an unattended resource for customer satisfaction and more options than you think. Hence are classified into many categories;
Snack Vending Machines;
Snacks such as chips, candies, cookies, chocolates and nuts are eatables found in these types of machines.
Beverage vending Machines;
Drinks such as soda, Water bottles, energy drinks, juices and coffee are found in this type of vending machine.
Coffee Vending Machines;
Tae and coffee are popular and having options are essential, special vending machines are designed for this type and are more popular in self-service workplaces such as offices and conference room as well as hospitals.
Food Vending Machines;
Ready-to-eat meals, sandwiches, salads, microwavable items, or even pizzas, provide a quick meal option. These types of machines are suitable for event management.
Fresh Food Vending Machines;
These machines provide fresh and healthy food options like yoghurt, sandwiches, salads and other refrigerated items.
Ice Cream Vending Machines;
These machines provide a variety of frozen foods like different ice cream flavours, or gelato options, usually in cups or cones.
Combo vending Machine;
These versatile machines combine snacks and are the popular all-in-one solution for any work on a budget. They’re for providing various snacks or drinks.
These are mostly found in areas with great food traffic. You won’t have to buy different products from different vending machines, thus you can combine combinations that serve everyone’s needs.
These high-traffic locations include larger workplaces, reception rooms, hallways, and even canteens of universities, etc.
Conclusion
Vending machines in particular are good investments buying a vending machine once can gain you a promised income by just loading snacks, beverages, etc. In recent times, vending machines are focused to develop using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Research shows the annual sales value of custom vending machines industry in Spain between 2010 and 2020. In 2017 a total turnover of approximately 2.2 billion euros was recorded. Therefore, various types of vending machines are developed by researchers for the function of vending products.
