A method including providing a lottery terminal that includes a graphical user interface and a motion capture device to facilitate a user to play in a lottery. The method further includes displaying, on the graphical user interface, a first image with content that includes drawing lottery tickets, instant lottery tickets, lottery games, dynamically-generated animations, and advertisements and detecting, by the motion capture device, a gesture of the user in a three dimensional space surrounding the lottery terminal. The method may further includes displaying, on the graphical user interface, a second image with content based, at least in part, on the gesture of the user; receiving, by the lottery terminal, a payment from the user for playing the lottery; and distributing, by the lottery terminal, a lottery ticket, based, at least in part, on the gesture of the user.

A system and method for guiding the assembly of a food or beverage item including a number of components is disclosed. The system includes a starting point device having a controller. The starting point device is operable to receive the details of the food item, which includes the components required to create the food or beverage item. The controller is in communication with multiple dispensers and bins that each include one or more of the components and an indicator. The controller activates the indicators associated with each of the components of the food or beverage item either sequentially or simultaneously to indicate to the staff member all of the components that need to be added to the food or beverage item. As each component is added, the indicator is deactivated until all of the components have been added. Once the food or beverage item is created, the controller indicates that the next food or beverage item can be created.

A vending machine has an interactive customer experience. Some embodiments of the vending machine include a transparent front wall with a plurality of display units located behind the front wall. Each of the display units may contain an example of a product available for vending. Based on input received from a customer and other information, the vending machine may provide a recommendation for a product or products to select for purchase. The vending machine may highlight the recommendation by selectively illuminating the product display units that contain the recommended products.

In one embodiment, a system includes: a robotic arm assembly; a plurality of components arranged around the robotic arm assembly and positioned within reach of the robotic arm assembly; and a controller configured to control operation of the robotic arm assembly within the system. Each of the plurality of components is configured to either: store ingredients under predetermined environmental conditions; store food preparation tools; dispense ingredients; blend, cook, or assemble ingredients into a completed food item; provide cleaning functionality to the system and/or components thereof; provide user access to completed food items; or display information relevant to a food item or preparation thereof to users. Methods of using such systems to prepare and dispense food items are also disclosed, and generally include translating recipes into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and/or components of the system, communicating such instructions to the robotic arm assembly, and executing such instructions.

In an example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method may include determining a transactional state of a point of sale (POS) system and, upon determining the transactional state, when the POS system is not in transactional use, automatically switching a display panel of the POS system from a first position to a second position. As an example, while in the second position, the POS system displays an advertisement on the display panel.

The present disclosure relates to a flowable edible product dispensing apparatus, including: a programmable controller; a touchscreen interface including an indicator of at least one edible item for selection, the operator interface in communication with the programmable controller, being wirelessly connected to the internet, and being operable to associate the at least one edible item with the least one flowable edible and/or inedible product; and the dispensing system dispenses an amount of the at least one flowable edible and/or inedible product associated with the selected edible item when the at least one edible and/or inedible item is selected.

A method and system for encouraging the selection of healthy products with a vending machine are provided. The method includes providing a vending machine that displays an inventory of products. Each product of the inventory of products includes a dispensing countdown time displayed on the vending machine. The method also includes receiving a first customer selection of a first product from the inventory of products, where the first product has a first dispensing countdown time. Additionally, the method includes actuating a countdown timer to count down to zero seconds from the first dispensing countdown time. The method also includes dispensing the first product once the countdown timer reaches zero seconds. The first product is only dispensed if a customer does not select a second product having a second dispensing countdown time before the first dispensing countdown time counts down to zero seconds.

Provided is a method for configuring at least one rule, e.g., using a graphical user interface. The method may include displaying a graphical user interface including a polygon having at least three edges and an icon at a first position within the polygon. Each edge of the polygon may be associated with a potential outcome of at least one rule. An input to move the icon to a second position within the polygon may be received. The graphical user interface may be displayed with the icon at the second position within the polygon. A distance from the second position of the icon to each edge of the polygon may be determined. The rule(s) may be adjusted based on the distance from the second position of the icon to each edge of the polygon. A system and computer program product are also disclosed.

An embodiment includes a system comprising a first vending machine (VM), the first VM comprising: an exterior chassis having a top, bottom, backside, front side, and first and second sides that couple the front side to the backside; a wireless short range communications node included in the chassis; and an actuator coupled to a compartment included in the chassis; wherein (a) the actuator provides a vended good to an aperture in the front side upon actuation, and (b) each of the front side and first and second sides includes no physically manipulatable consumer interface with which the consumer can control the first VM via direct physical manipulation of the first VM. Other embodiments are described herein.

A product dispenser is configured to dispense products subject to a warning and products not subject to a warning, the product dispenser further configured to transmit a product warning notice only in response to a request to dispense a product subject to the warning. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to dispense a food or beverage product and provide information indicative of an attribute of the food or beverage product, such as nutrition facts, as it is being dispensed. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to enable a user to request a customized product from the product dispenser, to determine a first profile for the customized product blend, compare the first profile to a second profile, and reformulate the customized product blend to a dispensed product blend comprising a third profile approximating the second idealized profile.