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'Mornings With Maria' explores high tech vending machine with artificial intelligence

December 15, 2017

A vending machine that uses artificial intelligence and can interact with customers both visually and audibly was the subject of a recent "Mornings With Maria" segment on Fox Business News. Host Maria Bartiromo introduced the segment by noting that high tech vending machines are changing the way people shop.

Tom Murn, founder and CEO of ViaTouch Media, explained how his company's high-tech machine, called "Vicki," worked as a reporter demonstrated it. Murn explained that the machine takes any payment tool — credit card, mobile payments or biometrics. Users can sign up to pay via a thumb print or an iris image. The system's software learns customers' product preferences and interacts with them audibly.

The glassfront merchandiser showed a variety of food and non-food items.

The customer can ask a question and the machine, through artificial intelligence, will answer. For example, the customer can ask how much caffeine a can of Red Bull has, and the machine will say, "Less caffeine than a cup of coffee."

After opening the door, the customer removes the product and is automatically billed, thanks to the machine's sensors that detect the product was removed from the shelf.

A digital screen above the door plays videos that promote products in the machine. When the customer removes a product, a video plays content related to that particular product.

Murn noted the machine is being tested in several locations. He said thousands of machines have already been ordered.

The fact that the Apple's iPhone X has integrated facial recognition technology will make people more comfortable with this type of interface, Murn noted.

Murn said that in addition to selling machines, his company expects to make money from paid advertising on the machine's digital screen.