Category: Vending Machine Idea

In the north of the Okinawa mainland, a number of vending machines participate in ecological research for the Okinawa Rail, an endangered species of bird and Japanese natural monument.

Existing vending machines were fitted with IC recorders and recorded the calls of the rails, providing data for surveying and analyzing.

As a result, through the vending machine recordings, scientists discovered that the Okinawan rails have a special call that can only be heard within this specific frequency. Because no other animals use the frequency, it is now thought that this unique trait of the rails evolved in the Yanbaru forests for protective reasons.

This project had a unique approach to studying birds’ biology, and that was to use environmental sounds. From those sounds, the distinct traits of both the Okinawan rail and the Yanbaru forests were understood for the first time.

Yukihiko Nakamura

There has never been a large number of Okinawan rails, but their numbers are decreasing as traffic in the region increases, and they’re being hit by cars. The Ministry of the Environment declared a state of emergency in 2007 and 2010.

The biological survey revealed that Okinawan rails might have a harder time sensing approaching cars during rainy weather. As a result, conservationists are hoping that in the future, specific measures to prevent the birds’ traffic deaths will be taken under consideration.

Nakamura explained the details of this undertaking, saying

In the future, we hope that by researching man-made noise’s effect on the Okinawan rail, we will be able to help to prevent their extinction.

About Okinawa Rail

Throughout the world, this wild bird only lives in the Yanbaru area of northern Okinawa and is unlikely to show itself to humans due to its cautious personality. It is because of this that it was only in 1981 that it was officially certified as a new species.

ts biggest feature is that, unlike other birds, it cannot fly and so it has to jump up into the trees to sleep.

The population of the Okinawa rail is currently about 1500, and the area it is found in gets smaller each year.

It is hard to find in the wild and so those who would like to see the bird up close should stop by Kuina Forest, the Okinawa Rail Habitat Display Learning Facility in Kunigami village.

Other Vending Machine Applications

AIDS Concern has distributed free condoms in a safer sex vending machine in New Asia College, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The ongoing collaboration between AIDS Concern and the New Asia College Student Union received positive feedback from university students and more than 1,200 free condoms were distributed in six months.

Mandy Cheung, Program Director of AIDS Concern, is happy that the collaboration enjoys vast support from university students.

There is a prominent increase in the HIV infection rate among young people in recent years and more effort on HIV prevention work shall be invested.

Mandy made reference to Taiwan, where approximately 10 universities with condom vending machines have been installed, and a series of preventive education programs has been launched to reduce the infection rate among young people.

For many years, AIDS Concern approaches young people through free HIV/AIDS education and testing services to promote the importance of safer sex, in order to reduce their risk of HIV infection.

AIDS Concern was established in 1990 as the first non-government charity organisation committed to the service of AIDS care in Hong Kong. The founders were a group of volunteers from different backgrounds dedicated to improving the living standards for people living with HIV and to stop the spread of HIV.

Interesting facts about sex

• According to some research, men aged 50 and over who have frequent sex are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men their same age who do not have sex often. A study published in the journal BJU InternationalTrusted Source found that intercourse and masturbation may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in older men. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical AssociationTrusted Source found that frequent ejaculations in a man’s ’20s may also help decrease his risk of prostate cancer.

Source

• Healthline.com

Other Vending Machine Applications

Vending machines designed to help people survive disasters through providing beverages for free and displaying emergency bulletins have been increasing since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

The trend is a combination of local municipalities’ need to increase their emergency stockpiles at lower costs and the desire among beverage makers to enhance their corporate image through social contributions.

When the Great East Japan Earthquake hit on March 11, 2011, Coca-Cola Japan Co. employs the remote control functions on about 400 disaster-relief vending machines with backup batteries in the Tokyo metropolitan area and other locations.

The Tokyo-headquartered company offered more than 88,000 of its beverages for free to people who had difficulty returning home in the aftermath of the disaster.

The company said it later received words of gratitude such as, “It was nice to get a hot drink for free in such a cold situation.”

In many cases, the machines are installed at schools and gymnasiums used as evacuation centers, based on disaster assistance agreements between local governments and beverage makers.

Yoshiteru Murosaki, a professor emeritus at Kobe University and expert on urban planning for disaster mitigation, said:

Disaster-relief vending machines are useful not only for stockpiling beverages, but also for raising the disaster-prevention awareness of residents who see the machines regularly. Companies and local governments should cooperate to keep installing more similar machines.

Yoshiteru Murosaki

Other Vending Machine Applications

A fortune telling vending machine offers a unique blend of amusement and mystique, allowing users to receive personalized fortunes or predictions at the drop of a coin or the swipe of a card. These machines can be found in various locations around the world, including Japan, where they are particularly popular due to a cultural fascination with fortune-telling and novelty vending machines. Here’s an overview of what these machines entail and their appeal:

Features:

• Variety of Fortunes: Users can receive different types of fortunes, ranging from general life guidance, love predictions, career advice, to daily or yearly outlooks.
• Interactive Elements: Some machines offer interactive experiences, such as asking the user to select a particular area of interest or having them press a button or pull a lever to “randomly” generate their fortune.
• Customization: Certain advanced models might allow users to input their birth date, zodiac sign, or other personal information to tailor the fortune to the individual.
• Souvenir Option: In addition to the fortune itself, some machines provide a printed slip or card as a keepsake, while others may even offer small charms or trinkets related to the fortune given.

Appeal:

• Entertainment Value: For many, the primary attraction is entertainment. It’s a fun way to pass time and adds an element of surprise and excitement to one’s day.
• Cultural Significance: In cultures where fortune-telling holds significance, these machines tap into traditional beliefs and practices, offering a modern twist on age-old customs.
• Accessibility: Fortune telling vending machines make the concept of receiving a fortune more accessible and immediate, without the need for visiting a professional fortune teller.

In Japan, where vending machines selling everything from drinks to hot meals are ubiquitous, finding a fortune telling vending machine is not uncommon. They often attract curiosity and serve as a playful nod to both technological innovation and cultural traditions. Whether you’re a believer in fortune-telling or simply curious, these machines provide a quick, intriguing experience that can add a bit of mystery to your day.

When someone’s depressed or is beset with troubling issues, many in Japan would rather visit a fortuneteller than a psychiatrist.

Masakatsu Hayashi, president of Starmark Co.

Other Vending Machine Applications

According to an article by Alice Dordenker in The Japan Times, AEDs are now available in vending machines across Japan.

This interesting innovation is just one of the ways in which Japan is leading the world in AED deployment, after years of being far behind.

Alice Dordenker

Her report states that AED placement is increasing rapidly in Japan, ever since rules were changed in July 2004 to allow laypersons to use AEDs. About 45,000 AEDs were placed in Japan in 2006, according to cardiologist Dr. Hideo Mitamura, AED advocate.

A number of tragedies occurred before Japan brought its laws into line with international recommendations by allowing public access to AEDs. The most publicized was the death of Prince Takamado, a member of the Imperial family who collapsed in September 2002 while playing squash. Although an ambulance arrived within eight minutes, paramedics were too late to resuscitate the prince.

Alice Dordenker

Placing the AED in a vending machine, says Dordenker, means people are more likely to learn its location and be able to get it quickly in case of an emergency. It also saves space to put the AED into the vending machine rather than having a separate storage cabinet. Unlike other vending machine items, use of the AED is free. At the same time, there is an alarm to discourage theft.

Laypersons in Japan are not required to have training to use AEDs, although free training is available at fire stations.

Interesting facts about AED

• AEDs are not dangerous for a bystander rescuer or healthcare provider to use.
• You are not at risk of being sued for using an AED on a victim. AEDs are extremely safe.

Source and Useful Website

• Help-A-Heart CPR
• St. John
• Hong Kong Red Cross

Other Vending Machine Applications

Sake is Japanese rice wine made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Unlike wine, in which alcohol (ethanol) is produced by fermenting sugar that is naturally present in grapes, sake is produced by a brewing process more like beer, where the starch is converted into sugars before being converted to alcohol.

The brewing process for sake differs from the process for beer in that, for beer, the conversion from starch to sugar and from sugar to alcohol occurs in two discrete steps.

In Japan, sake is treated as national beverage and often served with special ceremony – gently warmed in a small earthenware or porcelain bottle called a tokkuri, and sipped from a small porcelain cup called a sakazuki.

Other Vending Machine Applications

The Salvation Army Vending Machine at the Center for Creative Communications urges Passersby to consider those less fortunate.

While most vending machines are filled with tempting treats like chips, candy and chocolate bars. This machine houses rotting fruit and half-eaten snacks, to reminds passersby that although no one chooses to eat garbage, it’s an everyday reality for many.

Stephanie Nerlich, President, GREY Canada

Synthetic food waste is not dispensed from the machine, but staff and students have the option to donate money to the Salvation Army. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness that many go hungry and are reduced to eating waste. A donation to the Salvation Army helps provide healthy meals to those who need it the most.

The Salvation Army’s vending machine asks student to consider how it feels when the freedom to choose what they eat is removed. Many reduced to eating what others see as garbage or waste. Help bring a healthy meal to someone in need and give hope and dignity back to those who need it most.

Nate Horowitz, Dean, Centre for Creative Communications at Centennial College

About Salvation Army

• The Salvation Army is often credited with popularizing the doughnut in the United States. After it served doughnuts – often cooked in battle helmets – to U.S. troops in the field during World War I, many soldiers came back to the States hooked on the pastries. Doughnut consumption subsequently took off in the U.S. during the 1920’s and 1930’s. In 1938, The Salvation Army created National Doughnut Day, observed the first Friday of June, to honor the female Salvation Army officers – or “doughnut lassies” – who served the troops during the War.
• In 2005, consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton selected The Salvation Army, along with the Rolling Stones, Oxford University and the Olympic Games, as among the world’s top-ten enduring institutions.

Other Vending Machine Applications

What is the purpose of this performance media project?

The aim is to make people feel the Joy of the city. Every city grows with good ideas.

Is the audience participatory or observational?

This experiment was audience participatory. In Zurich summer 2014 during the European Athletics Championships, the city was flooded with footballs from different brands.

Why is this performance media project effective?

This is because it’s modern and unique idea by having a huge bubblegum machine filled with football to spread positive energy to the public inspired by the city joy project.

Other Vending Machine Applications

In an organic twist on the standard vending machine we’re all familiar with, one organic seed and food company is combining social media, gardening, and giveaways to help promote the company’s generous garden grant program.

Seeds of Change wants to empower more people to grow a garden and to help put organic seeds in their hands. A Twitter-enabled vending machine will dispense seeds to those who send out a tweet about how they’re working to grow a healthier community, and make a pledge to plant (#PledgeToPlant).

The vending machine event also includes a photo booth where visitors can write their pledge on a chalkboard and get their photo taken with it, free swag (reusable shopping bags and samples of the company’s food), and information about the Grant Program.

Interesting facts about Twitter

Twitter’s origins lie in a “daylong brainstorming session” held by board members of the podcasting company Odeo. Jack Dorsey, then an undergraduate student at New York University, introduced the idea of an individual using an SMS service to communicate with a small group.

• Twitter was originally called “Twttr”
• Twitter’s first ever tweet was by co-founder Jack Dorsey. “Just setting up my Twttr” he’d tweeted.
• Founded in 2006, Twitter made ‘zero’ dollar as revenue for the first 3 years.
• Alwyn Collinson has been narrating the World War 2 in real time on Titter for over a year.
• As of August 2015, Katy Perry is the most followed celebrity on Twitter.
• The best time to Tweet is from 9 am to 3pm from Monday to Thursday.
• Even though it was founded in the year 2006, Twitter made profit only in 2013.
• Twitter won’t allow you to follow more than 2,000 people unless you have 2,000 followers.
• Twitter was created in a playground on top of a slide.
• The official name of Twitter’s bird is Larry.
• Earlier, when the website used to be down, a ‘Fail Whale’ used to appear. The beloved whale no longer comes.
• Ending a Tweet with an empty hashtag is called a ‘Hangtag’.

Source

• Brandwatch
• Scoop Whoop

Other Vending Machine Applications

ZICO set up an interesting vending machine in New York, not just selling Coconut Water, but providing a fine vending machine experience.

Other Vending Machine Applications