Photo: DyDo Japan
tech

First-ever foot-operated vending machine appears in Japan during pandemic

13 Comments
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24

You can find a lot of vending machines in Japan, run by all sorts of beverage companies, but one of the most prolific of them all is DyDo, which is easily identified by its white machines with red signature logos.

In recent years, DyDo has become a leader in pushing the boundaries of what a vending machine can do, installing emergency alert systems in their units and setting them up as umbrella rental points. Now, the company is adapting to customers’ needs during the global pandemic by creating a foot-operated vending machine, which means you won’t have to touch any buttons with your fingers when making a purchase.

It’s a simple design but an effective one, and it’s incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is make your selection and use your foot to tap the corresponding number on the three-tiered button panel at the bottom of the machine.

Japanese-vending-machine-pandemic-new-DyDo-drinks-coronavirus-COVID19-Japan-news-5.jpg

Worried about touching that big, possibly germ-laden plastic panel to retrieve your drink from the machine? DyDo has thought of that too, installing a foot pedal on the right-hand side, which opens the plastic door when pressed, allowing you to reach in without having to touch the panel.

Japanese-vending-machine-pandemic-new-DyDo-drinks-coronavirus-COVID19-Japan-news-3.jpg

It’s a clever and practical response to the problem of losing sales from people who no longer use vending machines because of the fear of contaminating their hands. And with cashless payment available on machines, there really is no need to touch the machine at all when using the foot-operated system.

However, people in Japan who saw the new machine online had mixed reactions to it, saying:

“I’m so sure I would make a mistake with this system.”

“A new evolution in vending machines!”

“I can see people stomping on this and wrecking it.”

“The birth of a new music game!”

“Now they just need to sterilise the drink with UV light once it’s dropped in the tray.”

“They should work on creating a voice-activated machine instead!”

“There needs to be a way for you to just order what you want on your smartphone and then have the machine drop the drink out for you when you get near it.”

In 2017, rival vending machine maker Acure actually did create a model that could accept smartphone orders, with pickup available via the scanning of a QR code on the unit. However, customers using that system still had to open the flap by hand to receive their beverage.

DyDo says their new foot-operated system is just at the concept stage at the moment, so there’s a good chance they’ll be able to improve on the model’s features if it does become approved for use around the country.

If DyDo is able to push their technology to evolve their vending machines even further, by adding an app for pre-ordering and UV light sterilisation in the bottom tray, they could be well on their way to developing the perfect pandemic machine, especially if it comes stocked with their new pandemic products.

Source: DyDo Japan  

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© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

13 Comments
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Even without a pandemic, the natural environment contains several hundreds of thousands of microbes per cubic meter ... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515362/).

In doors or out, rural or urban, the things we unconsciously touch appears only loosely correlated with the locations of hand cleansing dispensers ... display items in supermarkets and shops, hand rails on escalators, or vending machines. In a country known for its number and variety of vending machines, a cynic might see somewhat arbitrary pandemic policies and measures as little more than virtue signaling with only a passing acquaintance with science ... a bit like that 'white masks only' debacle a few months ago.

For restricting the salient viral load to a minimum, combined with the Japanese custom of keeping shoes in the genkan, this is one of the best applications of technology I have seen recently. Kudos to the common sense and critical thinking skills of whoever came up with this idea.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Nice idea, drunk people will have hard time though lol !

Even without a pandemic, the natural environment contains several hundreds of thousands of microbes per cubic meter

1) Thousands of course but the concentration is still low compared uncleaned palm. 2) Uncleaned palms will mostly carry mouth bacteria and human viruses whereas air will carry all types of microbes which might be unharmful to humans (depends on surroundings).

2 ( +2 / -0 )

this is actually cool, I wish I could find one. I wonder if in the near future, there will be smart phone applications that can help you buy stuff from vending machines, seems plausible. In any case, you'll still have to touch the tray that several other people did. Agree with the posters above me, the world isn't exactly a biosafety level 4 caliber of sterility and people carry bacteria with them all the time. I think this pandemic made the population more afraid of germs more than ever.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It’s a pleasure to help you crazy people. If touching such a vending machine is your only problem in this world...lol Well, just stand beside the vending machine and let anything you wish delivered by smartphone ordered cashless paid Uber delivery to that position of the machine. No more touching, no more possibly infected money and you even get lot of other things e.g. your favorite cooked meal, drink, anything else , wine, convenience store products, ice cream , you name it, all that is not even displayed...rofl

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Great, now you have a legitimate excuse to kick the machine when it doesn’t work! ;)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I use coke pay on my iPhone and the drink falls out. No touching at all

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Use a hankie to touch buttons and surfaces. Wash hankie. Done.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Doesnt seem that useful if you ask me... Shouldnt be too hard to not use fingers to operate it. But I guess perception perception perception.

The better question is does it actually attract customers over other types of vending machine

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Neat idea. Perhaps the interface can be improved and I'd be weary of it breaking off or people jumping on it but it's a rational solution

0 ( +0 / -0 )

only real solution is 100% contactless. QR code the app download. Select your item. Pay contactless

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I can see problems operating this for individuals with certain disabilities, especially those confined to a wheel chair, unless the machine also includes conventional buttons. It might also be hard to use for some of us with large shoe sizes, lol.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Toilets in ITALY operates this way, since 33 years ago.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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