Taipei has introduced ID-based mask vending machines in a move to lessen the hassle for citizens to acquire the protective gear during the COVID-19 outbreak. The machine is a collaborative effort between the city government technical task force, National Health Insurance Administration (NHI), and industry players including local tech company MSI.
Liberty Times reports that MSI contributed to the smart vending machine’s design by incorporating telecommunications, mobile payments, interactive displays and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology. A first of its kind in Taiwan, the company believes that the machine will help relieve designated mask distributors, while ensuring that personal data will not be compromised.
City mayor Ko Wen-je states that the machines allow purchases of face masks via multiple payment options using NHI cards for ID verification. Three of these machines have been installed at the capital’s Xinyi District Health Center, and is planned to be expanded to all of Taipei’s 12 administrative districts. He adds that it only took 30 seconds to complete the purchase via the vending machine, and touts that it is easy to use, reliable, and time-saving.
The mayor hopes that this machine will benefit Taipei’s citizens, especially seniors, and will allow them to acquire the much sought after face masks during these trying times. Ko adds that the smart vending machines will undergo more stress testing before it can be implemented across Taiwan with the assistance of the central government.
(Source: Taiwan News.)
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