you should have the option to select item not only by the x, y- coordinates, but also the z coordinate. to get the only bag of potato chips you want that is in the very last slot...
-- sin, Jul 21 2003

[Mr Burns]: Huh?
-- bristolz, Jul 21 2003


I like this. It would also eliminate the problem of the first slot being empty due to a malfunction. I've wondered how much money vending machine companies miss out on when a row is nearly full and stays that way because the first buyer got a bonus. Not sure how you'd implement this. I guess a totally new type of machine. Seems like there'd be some wasted space to make room for the additional picking mechanism, but, + anyway.
-- half, Jul 21 2003


What happens to the products on the rack that are in front of the one you want?
-- waugsqueke, Jul 21 2003


A hole in the top of the machine could let you redeposit the unwanted product. It would work on the honor system.
-- phundug, Jul 21 2003


vendors dispense from the front and are generally filled from the back, thus, in always vending the front pack/bar/can, you get the oldest product in the machine. This is the only way that the vendor filler can guarantee effective stock rotation, which is good for us all. sorry, I must fish you.
-- jonthegeologist, Jul 21 2003


as opposed to humans which are filled from the front and dispense from the back
-- DeathNinja, Jul 21 2003


naughty death.
-- po, Jul 21 2003



random, halfbakery