MILAN, Italy – A new vending machine from Italian company Rhea Vendors, the Luce X2 Touch TV, uses facial recognition and customers’ medical records to determine if they should be allowed to buy an unhealthy snack.

Recently launched in the United Kingdom, the machine features a 22-inch touchscreen display that lets customers select an item just like a standard vending machine. However, before the snack is released, customers with an account can go through a facial recognition check. The technology detects the customer's age, build and mood in order to determine whether the purchase is a wise decision. The machine can also be programmed to access information about the user's medical records and purchase history. “If the algorithms decide that purchasing a coffee with three sugars or the fourth candy bar of the day is a bad idea for their health or mood, it can refuse to vend the product,” writes Springwise.

“While some customers won't appreciate their private data being analyzed or getting rejected by a lifeless machine, the idea could be a savior for those on a diet. Locations such as gyms could also integrate their memberships with the system to deny snacks to those who don't visit often enough,” hypothesizes Springwise.

The question is: Will this kind of automatic personalization become a standard for smart vending machines in the future?