Smart vending machines in the era of internet of things

The aim of this paper is to propose a real-world deployment in building an Internet of Things (IoT) system for vending machines. We also introduce a new approach for mobile proximity payment for unattended point of sales. The basic idea is to have a digital representation of a vending machine on Internet and be able to order products from a smartphone in a fully contactless way, i.e. without interacting with the vending machine. Our approach guarantees that when the transaction occurs and the products are dispensed the consumer is physically close to the vending machine. Open innovation, ubiquitous connectivity and pervasive technologies are key aspects taken into consideration to build up a cost affordable solution. The ultimate goal is to minimize the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for vending operators while enhancing the consumer purchasing experience, driving up the demand for mass adoption of the “Internet of vending machines”.