TOKYO >> Fancy some hot noodle soup? There’s a choice of hot and fresh udon, soba and ramen. Maybe a hamburger? There’s even toast, or a nice serving of ochazuke, a bowl of rice in tea or soup. Not to ...

The more things change . . .

There was a time when a coffee vending machine was a relatively straightforward affair, with a basic microcontroller doing not much more than the mechanical sequencer it replaced. A modern machine by ...

If you’re of a certain age, you probably have fond memories of getting toys and trinkets out of vending machines. For many of us, it recalls summer boardwalk memories, and trips to Chuck. E. Cheese.