Last week I passed an robot ice cream vending machine at the campus library, and it low-key made me go “wait, when did these get so techy?”

I used to think they were just basic cold boxes—you put money in, get a cone, done. But this one? Total game-changer.

Like, the person who stocks it told me they check everything from their phone: how much milk mix is left, if the freezer’s holding the right temp (-18°C, apparently), even if the cup dispenser is about to run out. No more driving across town just to “check in”—that’s wild for anyone running multiple spots. And the cooling? It was 32°C outside, but the ice cream was still perfectly creamy, not melty at all. They said the compressor kicks in super fast to fix temp dips—no more sad, soggy scoops.

Small stuff stood out too: the cup never jammed (turns out there are little sensors that make sure only one drops at a time), and the part that holds the ice cream mix is that food-safe stainless steel that cleans itself. Solved that tiny “is this hygienic?” voice in my head I always ignore.

Curious if anyone else has run into these smarter ones lately? Was there a tech thing that stuck with you—like the remote checks, or how it never messes up the cups? And what do you wish they added next? AI that picks flavors based on the weather? Solar power so it’s not eating electricity? Let’s geek out a little—this stuff’s way more interesting than I thought.