`Vending Machines Used with Mobile Phones`

Nowadays a quiet revolution is taking place in the vending machines that can be seen often in parks, subways, and bus terminals.

The advanced vending machines to be in market in the future will be equipped with the feature of demanding less money, for instance, ten Won when the temperature is 1℃ lower, and of hiking ten Won when the temperature is 1℃ higher. The reason for this is that the consumers drink more when it is hot. Additionally, the vending machines, from which soft drinks can be drawn out with mobile phones or credit cards without any need for coins, are appearing in the street. Heron who was machinist, physicist, and mathematician at the same time around 100 B.C. invented the original vending machine, and it became very popular mainly in the U.S. with the automated device.

However, the automatic vending machines are recently becoming more advanced, as the machines are equipped with wireless communication devices with the features of remote control capability and wireless settlement. Especially, Coca Cola Inc., which is operating the biggest number of automatic vending machines in the world, is driving for network project of the automatic vending machines. The company is ready to make even communication satellite available for that purpose. Companies that are opearating vending machines of network features can view the status of the vending machines and customers` products purchase information, and adjust accordingly the prices of the soft drinks.

Additionally, robotic technology already generally used in the industrial fields is introduced into the vending machines that can sell several hundreds of items. Reading the April issue of Science Dong-a can solve any questions you may have on the vending machines.

pmiyong@donga.com