A new vending machine in Japan uses data collected via face-recognition to suggest a drink to the user of the machine, according to a Reuters article.
The machine collects data such as estimated age and gender in association with programmed market research knowledge of different tastes of different groups and recommends a drink to a customer as they are preparing for a purchase by marking specific offering as recommended.
So far the company behind the machines, JR East Water Business, has only trialed the one machine at a Tokyo train station, but is introducing five more to central Tokyo Station with plans to expand to other stations in the city by early 2011.
With early figures showing the machines bringing in three times the sales of regular vending machines, they are hopeful to have as many as 500 machines operating in Tokyo and surrounding areas by early 2012.
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