According to U.S. statistics from Brandongaille, there are an estimated 4.6 million vending machines in the U.S. They can store basically anything, including children’s toys, earplugs, snacks, beverages, cigarettes and lottery tickets. They are given to consumers after money is inserted into the machine.

How does it work? 

Of course, there are many different types of vending machines and the ways how they operate, but we will explain one specific use case of a machine that stores earplugs. The client has about 100 vending machines around the country, and there is no way to track the usage apart from manually. 

We attach the SimplePack device inside of the machine without casing. The internal mechanism of the case works based on the basic principle of rotation. When you insert a coin and operate a leave, the lever rotates. The rotation is possible because of a cog mechanism inside the machine. One of the teeth has a magnet glued to it and when it rotates, the reed sensor of the SimplePack will add one to the count.

Therefore, it will count the number of rotations and send them to you periodically. In case no rotation is detected = no event is sent. Impact detection is active at all times and if somebody tries to open the machine by force, the device will send you an alert.

How can you benefit from that with SimplePack?

• Know exactly when the vending machine needs refilling 

• Know how much money is inside and prevent forgery from occurring

• Improve your utilization processes

• Be notified of a vandalism attempt

Let’s unlock the potential of IoT in Smart retail together!

Learn more about SimplePack use cases here and order online for your next IoT project!