$1.75- Holy Water, Snickers, or the Price of Convenience?

I go to the library almost every day. Routine calls for a stop at the vending machine to snag a Diet Coke before claiming my cubicle. Today, while on my way there with my boyfriend, we contemplated stopping at CVS to pick up sodas beforehand; however, to avoid another stop and wasting precious study time, we opted to use the vending machines instead, a quick and convenient option to satisfy my habitual pre-study caffeine craving. Not knowing it at the time, but my appreciation for the library vending machines actually fueled my interest when contemplating today’s blog. Asked to examine the most significant technology of a specific time period, the 2^nd century caught my eye when in the time line of great technology appeared two words I know and love- vending machine.

When we think of technology, so many of us restrict our thoughts to the last few centuries. Technology is often mistaken as a futuristic concept-- what on earth would the 2^nd century know about technology? You’re right, Heron of Alexandria (great mathematician and engineer c. 10-70 A.D) did not use a calculator, research on the internet, or leisurely read via his Kindle, but the existence of technology certainly cannot be discarded. We had to start somewhere, right?

The vending machine is not technology I consider significant because it changed the world and opened the door for an influx of influential creations. Actually, for many it’s probably not significant at all. However, technology is not always about public appeal, but concept. To create successful technology, one must make a judgment on society and predict what they will find useful, entertaining and perhaps necessary. Are instant Snickers significant today? No. Is the appreciation for self-service, convenience and accessibility? Absolutely. Second century life was not conducive to convenience and accessibility, making Heron of Alexandria, the creator of the first vending machine, a true conceptual genius.

The first vending machine worked a little something like this: One inserted a coin and when the machine accepted it, out came a fixed amount of holy water. When the coin was deposited, it landed on a pan attached to a lever which opened upon impact and allowed the water to flow. The water continued to flow until the coin fell off, turning off the valve.

So maybe Heron’s machine didn’t let out Snickers and Sprite, but the concepts of self-service, convenience, and accessibility are absolutely apparent. When looking at current technology like iPods, laptops, and cell phones, these three concepts still hold their ground. The 2^nd century vending machine, thousands of years ago, nailed societies wants and needs before anyone even knew what a Kindle was.

Mind you, it’s not as if Heron created the first vending machine and civilizations everywhere suddenly had their nuts and berries dispensed from a lever upon depositing a coin. The vending machine actually did not arise again as a prominent part of society until the Industrial Age, specifically London in 1880. When researching the first vending machine, the results often claim that the first coin-depositing vending machine was created in 1888 by Thomas Adams Gun Company. This may be the first emergence in centuries (and centuries and centuries), but technically, not true.

With this in mind, Heron’s vending machine acquires that much more significance. Even with centuries without use, his original concept withstood the test of time. Eighteen centuries ago, a man recognized the human desire for self-service, convenience, and accessibility that exist today; this reflects an amazing understanding of society, the purpose of technology and the concepts it must behold in order to be a success, which to me, is what technology is all about.
　
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5433820/heron_of_alexandria.html
Click the link above for more information on Heron's other ideas/inventions and early modern concepts.

http://kottke.org/10/10/the-first-vending-machine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vending_machine
　
Mallory.