Crank-powered vending machine defies power outages in Japan

No power? No problem: A new crank-powered vending machine promises to continue working even during an emergency where there is no electric power.

 

Vending machine maker Sanden has come up with a machine that can draw power from about 70 turns of a crank, tech site CNET reported.  

 

"Unfortunately, it takes about 70 rotations of the crank to power up the machine... The gauges by the crank show the appropriate amount of force to use," CNET reported.

 

After about 20 seconds after being powered up, the machine will be ready to dispense up to six or seven bottled drinks, it added.

 

CNET said this new "old" technology may have stemmed from the lessons learned from last year's magnitude-9 quake and tsunami that devastated Japan.

 

Power had been cut off in affected areas in Japan at the time, rendering vending machines useless.

 

The CNET report said Japan had some five million vending machines as of the end of 2010, including coin lockers.

 

Such machines are nearly ubiquitous, found even on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. — TJD, GMA News