NW Global To Deploy 5000 Intel-Powered Smart Vending Machines In 2016

SAN FRANCISCO -- Italian manufacturer N&W Global Vending reportedly plans to deploy a fleet of 5,000 "smart" vending machines across the United States in 2016. Intel executives, who confirmed the plan at the recent Intel Developer Forum here, reported that the machines will feature its technology.

The demo vending machine that Intel brought on-stage during the IDF keynote session had both a touchscreen that will work as an interactive billboard and a transparent screen integrated into the glass panel that protects snacks, Slashgear reported. | See Slashgear Story and Photo.

The machine enables transactions to be completed by tracking hand movement in front of the control panel, without the user making contact.

Intel's RealSense cameras inside allow the machine to determine demographics about the user, including gender and age range, as soon as they step up to the machine. That information will be passed back to N&W's servers, providing better insight into purchase preferences and patterns by customer type.

Intel Corp. announced in May its introduction of the IoT (Internet of Things) Retail Gateway Reference Design for Intelligent Vending, which includes hardware, software and security building blocks designed to speed up development and deployment of smart vending machines. Intel collaborated with N&W Global Vending to create the solution. | READ MORE