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Smart vending machines: The minimarts in the near future?
The invention has become more popular as technology allows for a greater variety of items to be sold with smoother transactions.
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During the pandemic years, the vending machines also played a critical role in the distribution of masks and Covid-19 test kits.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Seshan Ramaswami
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Even as e-commerce shook the retail industry, the vending machine is one technology that has stood the test of time.
The first of its kind is often attributed to Heron of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and engineer who developed a machine almost 2,000 years ago that would dispense holy water in temples with the deposit of a token.
