A fluid integrating system (10) includes an integrating manifold (30) having two or more input fluid inlets (132) disposed at oblique angles relative to a center axis of the integrating manifold (30). The two or more input fluid inlets (132) intersect in the integrating manifold (30) to define an integrating chamber (112). The fluid integrating system also includes a pressure sensor (110) fluidly connected to the integrating chamber (112) that is operable to send a pressure signal indicative of the pressure of the fluid in the integrating chamber (112). A integrating controller (22) is operatively coupled to the two or more valves (60) and to the pressure sensor (110) and is operable to selectively control the flow of input fluids into the integrating chamber (112) by actuating the two or more valves (60) based on the pressure signal received from the pressure sensor (110).

The present invention is an automated electromechanical gripper for handling a container. In one embodiment, the gripper is used in an automated liquid dispenser. The gripper can grab a single container, remove the container from a nested stack of containers, and move the container in three directions (horizontally, laterally, and vertically).

An improved interactive frozen confectionery vending machine with two alternate freezer enclosures storing a variety of ice creams in cups is presented. The vending machine further comprises a toppings dispensing and a control system enclosures. A programmable control system enables a customer to select one ice cream cup at a time of a flavor of his or her choide and customize the selected ice cream with a choice of automatically dispensed hard or soft toppings via a gear motor operated arm and flexible liquid topping delivery tubes. A Wi-Fi enabled payment system and an ice cream and topping selection are implemented via a touch screen. The vending machine interior is accessible by pre-authorized personnel only.

Systems and methods for distributing one or more products are described herein. The systems include at least one communication network; a distribution server and a device for refilling a container with the one or more products. The device includes a supply tank configured to retain the one or more products; a sensor configured to detect a level of the one or more products in the supply tank; a device communication interface operable to communicate with the distribution server; and a device processing unit. The device processing unit is operable to: receive a signal from the sensor indicating the level of the one or more products, determine whether the level is below a minimum threshold level; when the level is below the minimum threshold level, generate a request for a distributor to distribute more of the one or more products to the device; and communicate the request to the distribution server.

Systems and methods for beverage dispensing are disclosed herein. The beverage dispensing system can receive a connection request to pair a mobile computing device with a beverage dispensing device via a network. The connection request can include an identifier that can be verified to match a current identifier associated with the beverage dispersing device. The beverage dispensing system can generate a session between the mobile computing device and the beverage dispensing device that replicates a user interface of the beverage dispensing device on the mobile computing device. The beverage dispensing system can receive inputs from the mobile computing device during the session to obtain configuration parameters for a beverage and dispense the beverage from a nozzle based on the configuration parameters.

Systems and methods for operating a vending machine and one or more remote servers or services to generate user-specific recommendations of products or services by collaborative filtering executed and/or performed by one or more trained or untrained predictive models configured to ingest product attribute(s), product purpose(s), user location data, and/or user demographics. The predictive model(s) are leveraged to detect and determine user-specific preferences for, and preferences against, particular attributes, features, ingredients, aesthetic styles, and so on. Recommendations are leveraged to provide a custom selection of products and/or a custom mixture of products from the vending machine.

Systems and methods for operating a vending machine and one or more remote servers or services to generate user-specific recommendations of products or services by collaborative filtering executed and/or performed by one or more trained or untrained predictive models configured to ingest product attribute(s), product purpose(s), user location data, and/or user demographics. The predictive model(s) are leveraged to detect and determine user-specific preferences for, and preferences against, particular attributes, features, ingredients, aesthetic styles, and so on. Recommendations are leveraged to provide a custom selection of products and/or a custom mixture of products from the vending machine.

A system and method is provided for providing a cosmetic composition to a user. The system includes an apparatus configured to dispense at least one cosmetic composition into a output container; a user interface configured to receive information about the user; and circuitry configured to receive the information about the user and determine one or more cosmetic compositions to be dispensed into the output container based on the information about the user received at the user interface.

A system and method is provided for providing a cosmetic composition to a user. The system includes an apparatus configured to dispense at least one cosmetic composition into a output container; a user interface configured to receive information about the user; and circuitry configured to receive the information about the user and determine one or more cosmetic compositions to be dispensed into the output container based on the information about the user received at the user interface.

A dispenser is configured to dispense food products at varying nutritive levels by dispensing a combination of sweeteners in a predetermined ratio from a plurality of sweetener sources. Using a predetermined combination of sweeteners in a predetermined ratio for a selected nutritive level for a given product ensures that the dispensed product will have a desirable flavor profile while at the same time providing increased consumer choice. A combination of caloric, mid-calorie, low calorie, and/or non-caloric sweeteners may be dispensed to produce a food product with a specified caloric level or nutritive level. For a given nutritive level selected, the product dispenser may dispense different combinations of sweeteners and/or different ratios of sweeteners for different brands or products to be dispensed. Likewise, for a given brand or product, the product dispenser may dispense different combinations of sweeteners and/or different ratios of sweeteners for different selected nutritive levels.