Vending machine technology hasn’t really changed that much in the last 20 years. Sure Coca-Cola has started to roll out their awesome Freestyle custom drink machine, but that’s not really a vending machine – it’s more of a soda fountain for the 21st century. Designer Guus Baggermans has a new concept for a soda vending machine which would ensure a much more pleasant experience than the usual “put your coins in the slot and pray you don’t have to kick the machine until your drink comes out.”
Friendly Vending was Baggermans’ industrial design graduation project from the Eindhoven Univerisity of Technology. The machine features an electronically-controlled vending system that allows users to interact with their soda of choice by pointing at the drink they’re interested in consuming. Not only does the machine do a little dance with the cans to draw you in, but just whip out your Sylar-esque finger, point it at the can you want, and the machine opens up that door so you can grab your can. Check out some Friendly Vending in the video clip below:
Now we’re not sure how Guus plans on collecting money with this new system. Maybe it’s so friendly that the soda would be free. Or maybe with an RFID remote payment system as you approach the machine. We’re just hypothesizing on that part, but it sounds cool to us. Either way, it’s fun to watch dancing soda cans.
[via Gajitz]
