News

Advantech launches prototype based on Intel Reference Design for Intelligent Vending

June 5, 2014

Advantech, a developer of intelligent systems for industrial and retail applications, has launched what it says is the first prototype based on the new Intel Reference Design for Intelligent Vending.

Advantech said in the announcement that it has delivered Vending Machine Controller functionality to a PC-based computing platform with a Vending Machine IO board using Intel’s Reference Design.

Using a PC-based computing platform makes vending machines intelligent, allowing for enhanced user experiences with an LCD and touchscreen interface, telemetry, proximity marketing, advertising and data analytics such as real-time promotions and pricing updates using data coming from the cloud, Advantech said.

“The vending market segment is transitioning to the digital era,” Advantech Europe Embedded Computing Group Sales Director Fabrizio del Maffeo said in the announcement. “We see huge opportunities for computing platforms in this market where the Internet of Things plays a heavy role to drive business transformation.”

The Advantech solution based on the Intel Reference Design for Intelligent Vending provides developers with easier access to typical vending machine peripherals such as coin dispensers and refrigeration by integrating a hardware platform including a VMI with application programming interfaces used by application software. This solution is designed to significantly reduce the time to market for intelligent vending machines.

The solution re-architects traditional vending machines into highly-capable, Internet connected machines, Adaptech said. Vending machine manufacturers can use the solution to design future machines or to retrofit existing ones.

“With the Intel Reference Design for Intelligent Vending, we deliver IoT-ready computing technology to the vending industry,” said Jose Avalos, worldwide director for visual retail at Intel’s IoT Solutions division. “By adding intelligence to vending machines we are taking the current trend of digital makeovers a step further to make the vending experience more personal, interactive and fun for consumers, while allowing brands and operators to utilize new business opportunities, cloud services and data analytics.” 

Advantech said its solution contains several key hardware and software components, including:

1. Computing system: An Intel processor-based platform with a VMI board replaces a VMC, providing machines with wired Ethernet or broadband wireless connectivity to the outside world and the computing power needed to deploy emerging services. Vending machine manufacturers can choose three scalable families of processors including Intel Core vPro processors, Intel Atom processors and an Intel Quark processor which can run the same code and are supported by an established ecosystem of independent software vendors.
2. Vending I/O interface: Today’s vending machines use a wide range of bus protocols (e.g., CAN, ccTalk, MDB, USB) to communicate between the VMC and machine peripherals such as control mechanics and note readers. The Advantech solution based on the Intel Reference Design for Intelligent Vending contains a VMI board that supports these and other I/O interfaces.
3. Software stack: The software stack includes an operating system, APIs to machine peripherals, and various applications. The Advantech solution provides a single API that accesses more than a dozen peripherals and can be used by application software to more easily access typical machine peripherals such as coin dispensers and refrigeration.
4. Remotely manage multiple devices with SUSIAccess: All Advantech platforms are bundled with Advantech SUSIAccess software, which provides remote device management and system recovery powered by technology from Acronis and system protection powered by McAfee, allowing users to monitor, configure, control and recover multiple systems through a single console from a remote site.

Advantech said its solution will be available for order in the third quarter of 2014.