It’s a world of self-service all around us, and an expectation of instant gratification. Are self-serve alcohol vending machines that dispense cans and bottles of beer just around the corner?
The barrier in the past has always been age verification. But new technology called “vein bio metrics” may make alcohol vending machines “smart” enough to age verify and to make sure that the person using the machine is the person who is pre-registered in the system and what age they are.
Everyone has a unique vein pattern on the palm of their hand similar to a unique fingerprint. The consumer registers in advance on their personal device and then uses a touch screen on the vending machine for customer interaction.
The machine is intended for use only within licensed retail location. Retailers may see an advantage to free up bartenders on busy nights or at entertainment arenas to reduce long lines.
One thing the machine can’t do is identify overly intoxicated people, which in most states is the responsibility of the retailer and is a violation if the retailer serves to someone who has had too much to drink. It will be interesting to see if these alcohol vending machines pass the scrutiny of state alcohol beverage agencies – or are even of interest to the public.