Category: Vending Machine Idea

A ‘mystery vending machine’ is spotted at a railway station, giving buyers the opportunity to take a punt on the items inside.

According to an X user @bovineflu, the machine’s contents is made up of unclaimed packages from delivery lockers. It’s claimed each one has never been opened and therefore customers have no idea what they could be buying.

Interesting unclaimed package:

In 2015, Tokyo’s Narita International Airport auctioned off unclaimed items, including a parcel containing approximately $7,500 in cash. Auctions like these often include luxury goods such as designer handbags, with some items valued at tens of thousands of dollars.

One interesting unclaimed case involved a collection of vintage film reels. These reels contained several rare films thought to be lost to time. Their discovery provided historians and film enthusiasts with invaluable insights into early cinema.

In another more bizarre case, a suitcase full of live tropical fish was found unclaimed. The aquarium inside the suitcase was equipped with battery-operated aerators, suggesting someone had gone to considerable lengths to transport these creatures, possibly illegally.

Finally, a set of very expensive, finely crafted artificial limbs was left unclaimed at an airport. The unique nature not only made them stand out but also presented a challenge on how to appropriately handle them.

Source: Express.co.uk

As recent survey indicated that nearly three-quarters of adults don’t swim as much as they did when they were kids. Airheads is on a mission to bring the fun back to the pool and get adults swimming again!

So this summer, the candy company is debuting a first-of-its-kind Underwater Vending Machine that dispenses Airheads while submerged in a pool. The vending machine is fully waterproof in depths of up to eight feet and comes equipped with an air propulsion system candy launcher. Instead of taking wet money the machine takes fun in exchange for Airheads bars.

Source: PR Newswire

Artist Sunday Nobody, who you might remember offered a puzzle box prize of canned baked beans, is back. This time he’s got a vending machine pop-up in New York City that spits out hilarious fake IDs. 

He writes,

It’s not legal, I checked with layers.

The machine is a one-day-only experience on Saturday, April 29 at 197 Bond Street in Brooklyn. If you missed out, not to worry, you can order a custom fake ID from the artist’s website for just $20.

Source: Boing Boing

Other Vending Machine Applications

Having a vending machine at home can be both a fun and practical addition, offering convenience and a touch of novelty to your living space. Here are some ideas and considerations for setting up a vending machine in your home:

Types of Vending Machines:

1. Snack and Beverage Machines: These are the most common types and can store a variety of snacks and drinks. They’re great for quick access to refreshments without leaving the house.
2. Mini Vending Machines: Smaller, countertop versions that can dispense smaller items like candy, gum, or even small toys. These are perfect for personal use or as a quirky decorative item.
3. Specialty Vending Machines: Depending on your interests, you might opt for machines designed to vend specific items such as books, electronics, or health and beauty products.

Benefits:

• Convenience: Quick access to snacks and essentials without needing to go to the store.
• Entertainment: A unique feature that can entertain guests and family members alike.
• Motivation: Some people find that having a vending machine stocked with healthy snacks encourages better eating habits by reducing impulse purchases of less healthy options outside the home.

Setting Up Your Home Vending Machine:

1. Choose the Right Location: Place the machine in a high traffic area where it’s easily accessible but doesn’t obstruct movement around the home.
2. Stock with Favorites: Fill it with items that you and your household enjoy. This could range from favorite snacks and beverages to more unique items like craft supplies or small gadgets.
3. Educational Tool: For families, it can serve as an educational tool for children learning about money management if set up to accept coins or tokens.

Incorporating a vending machine into your home can add a layer of convenience and enjoyment, making everyday tasks a bit more exciting. Whether it’s for practical reasons or simply for fun, a home vending machine offers a creative solution to snack storage and retrieval.

Other Vending Machine Applications

Blending in with the surrounding townscape, the door to the uninitiated eye looks precisely like a vending machine. The fact that a genuine real vending machine is installed only 2 meters away, and lit up at night, only adds to the general confusion.

Inevitably, some passers-by, duped into believing the vending machine is real, attempt to insert coins to buy a drink.

On closer inspection, the door reveals the word “Push,” but otherwise there is no store name, sign or even a menu displayed to give any hint of what’s on the other side.

This is actually a pub, but even people in the neighborhood remained unsure where the eatery was located.

For a while, Takata, the owner feared the location of his premises might prove too confusing to attract a steady flow of customers. But now he is confident his business will prosper, especially after it featured on social media and television shows.

Other Vending Machine Applications

MrBeast, creator of YouTube’s Mr. Beast, displayed the world’s largest gumball machine at Vidcon in Los Angeles. A prize was awarded when fans placed a giant coin made specifically for the machine in a slot.

About Mr. Beast:

Mr. Beast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is renowned for his extravagant charitable acts and stunts on his YouTube channel, which has garnered him a massive following.

One of his most notable charitable efforts includes the “Team Trees” initiative in 2019, where he collaborated with fellow YouTuber Mark Rober to raise over $20 million to plant 20 million trees around the world, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. This effort was notably successful due to the participation of numerous online personalities and the broader internet community.

Mr. Beast’s generosity doesn’t stop there; he often gives away large sums of money to individuals, organizations, and even strangers through various challenges and giveaways featured in his videos. His content not only entertains but also inspires acts of kindness, making him a standout figure in the world of social media for leveraging his platform for good. Furthermore, he has continued to expand his influence beyond YouTube, venturing into philanthropy and other business enterprises, all while maintaining a strong commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

Other Vending Machine Applications

There are now more and more vending machines popping up around the world selling local art products and other interesting items.

Bellingham, Washington, US. (Pocket Box Vending Machine)

The vending machines are stocked with goodies that the company owner sources from local businesses and artists, as well as from her own thrift shop treasure hunts. The majority of items are priced between $5 to $20.  

Each location has a unique selection — Black Sheep’s machine, for example, includes local artist Bridget Dahlman-Oeth’s collectible, themed art boxes made from repurposed Altoid tins that go for $10.

“My favorite thing is going back to a venue and just watching people engage [with the vending machine], and it’s exciting obviously when they purchase something, but just the pointing and giggles and excitement is just so great.”

Graczyk (Pocket Box Vending Machine Owner)

Vancouver, Canada. (Pocket Box Vending Machine)

The city’s first art vending machine began operating at the Garden Court of Bentall Centre and is a collaboration between Vancouver Vending Co, Downtown Van, and Bentall Centre. According to curator Crystal Lau, it’s already a big hit with artists and art lovers.

Other Vending Machine Applications

Asahi Soft Drinks is experimenting with CO2 resource recycling using vending machines. The new model is designed to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into industrial raw materials such as fertilizer and concrete. This initiative allows Japan to be one step closer to its mission of achieving a decarbonised society.

At the moment, each machine is capable of offsetting 20 percent of the CO2 emissions generated from the production of the electricity it requires to operate. With improvement, the hope is that these vending machines will achieve carbon neutrality in the future, where CO2 emissions are equal to absorption.

Close to 30 vending machines will be installed in various indoor spots where CO2 concentration is high, as well as in outdoor areas in Kanto and Kansai.

As for how the absorbed CO2 will be used, Asahi states: “various industrial applications, through co-creation with local governments and businesses”. These include boosting soil carbon sequestration and using CO2 as an additive in concrete to form submerged seaweed beds.

Why need to absorb Co2:

1. Climate Change Mitigation: CO2 is one of the primary greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. High concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere trap heat, leading to an increase in global temperatures. Reducing atmospheric CO2 levels by absorbing it helps mitigate the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems.
2. Ocean Health: The oceans absorb a significant portion of the Earth’s CO2 emissions. However, this absorption leads to ocean acidification, which threatens marine life, particularly organisms with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons, like corals and shellfish. By finding alternative ways to absorb CO2 outside of our oceans, we can help protect marine ecosystems.
3. Carbon Sequestration: Natural processes such as photosynthesis enable plants, trees, and phytoplankton to absorb CO2, converting it into oxygen and biomass. Enhancing these natural carbon sinks through reforestation, afforestation, and preserving existing forests can significantly reduce atmospheric CO2 levels. Additionally, technological solutions like carbon capture and storage (CCS) aim to directly remove CO2 from industrial emissions or the atmosphere and store it underground or utilize it in products.
4. Air Quality Improvement: High levels of CO2 can also contribute to poorer air quality, especially in urban areas where emissions from vehicles and industries are concentrated. Absorbing CO2 can lead to improved air quality, benefiting human health and well-being.
5. Economic Opportunities: Innovations in carbon capture technologies and practices that enhance natural carbon sequestration not only address environmental concerns but also create economic opportunities. These include new jobs in green technology sectors, increased agricultural yields through soil carbon sequestration, and potential revenue from carbon credits.

Efforts to absorb CO2 are crucial in addressing global challenges posed by climate change, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring sustainable development for future generations.

Other Vending Machine Applications

Japan has extended its natural disaster preparations to vending machines, which will offer free food and drink in the event of a major earthquake or typhoon.

Two machines have been installed in the western coastal city of Ako, located in a region that is vulnerable to powerful earthquake.

The machines, which contain about 300 bottles and cans of soft drinks and 150 emergency food items, including nutritional supplements, have been installed near buildings that have been designated as evacuation shelters.

They are designed to “unlock” and make their contents available free of charge at heavy rain warning, or an evacuation order after a quake of an upper five or higher on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of seven.

Their contents must be paid for the rest of the time, the newspaper added.

In another first, a vending machine with a radio that will automatically issue emergency broadcasts was set up in a park in Tokyo. The radio will be activated by earthquakes registering 5 or higher on intensity scale, and transmit evacuation and other vital information from a local community radio station.

Other Vending Machine Applications

Hong Kong famous Youtuber, Kimi is playing with Mystery boxes Vending machine.

Mystery boxes in Vending Machine:

Mystery boxes in vending machines represent an intriguing blend of surprise and instant gratification, offering customers a product or prize selected at random. One interesting fact about mystery boxes in vending machines is their ability to create a unique customer experience by leveraging the thrill of unpredictability. This concept taps into the human fascination with surprises and the excitement of not knowing exactly what you’re going to get, which can be especially appealing to collectors, gamers, and novelty seekers.

A notable example of this approach is seen in Japan, where ‘gachapon’ machines, akin to vending machines, dispense capsules containing random toys, figures, or collectibles. These machines are popular for offering everything from anime character figurines to practical joke items, often themed around current trends or classic favorites. The limited edition and exclusive items sometimes found in these machines encourage repeat engagement and can foster a community aspect among enthusiasts who trade or collect the items.

Incorporating mystery boxes into vending machines enhances user interaction and provides a fun, engaging experience that goes beyond the typical transactional nature of such machines. It’s a strategy that has been successfully applied in various settings to increase foot traffic and generate buzz around products or promotions.

Other Vending Machine Applications