Coca-Cola's 100-Flavor Interactive Freestyle Soda Fountain in Action

[okarol]

Coca-Cola's 100-Flavor Interactive Freestyle Soda Fountain in Action [video]
BY Zachary WilsonTue Jul 21, 2009 at 10:19 AM

Ever had one of those moments where all you wanted was a Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke, but all the fountain could offer you was regular old diet? Coca-Cola is doing away with that problem by introducing a new beverage dispenser. Heralded as the "fountain of the future" by Coke PR flaks, the "Freestyle"--which was first unveiled under the code name "Jet" back in April--offers more than 100 flavor options. There are traditional sodas, flavored waters, carbonated or noncarbonated beverages, energy drinks and so on. Even flavors not currently available in the United States.

This video is the first look at the Freestyle's touch screen interface, which is designed by Bsquare Corporation. Select a Coca-Cola product, such as Fanta, and the screen offers several flavor options. Choose the one you want (Grape, please!) and the machine mixes the drink right then--it can even mix flavors in ways that are not traditionally offered.

The machine is more technologically complex than you'd imagine. The "PurePour" technology was originally developed to measure extremely precise amounts of dialysis and cancer drugs. Beyond that, RFID scanners are used to match cartridges to dispensers, and the onboard computer confirms everything is in place. Existing soda fountains use five-gallon concentrate bags and lots of backroom labor. Now all that is required is a highly concentrated 46-ounce cartridge inside a self-contained machine.

Another perk is the business data the dispenser sends back to Coke's headquarters in Atlanta. The machines upload data about beverage consumption, peak times, and popular locations. Coke can also talk back to the machine, letting it know if a particular flavor needs to be discontinued or recalled and causing it to stop serving the drink immediately.

Freestyle machines are currently being tested in Georgia, California, and Utah. Coca-Cola has said it plans to place 60 test dispensers around the country by the end of the summer.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/zachary-wilson/and-how/coca-cola-gives-ten-times-choices-freestyle?partner=rss

[Chris]

I hope it will offer decaf diet coke. It would be nice to have a cherry coke again. Then again this I could see being a pain in the butt at McDonalds, well me waiting while some little kid can't decide or tries to put every flavor in his or her drink. Not to mention the long line while people try to figure out how to use the new machine.

[RichardMEL]

wow looks pretty cool. I like how the demo machine has no pricing information or even a coin slot there.. I guess it's designed for restaurants where they have a "all you can drink/free refill" policy (yum).

Of course seeing that just reminds me how much I want to DRINK!!!!! d'oh!! 

(vanilla coke, please!)

[paul.karen]

it uses flavor cartridges.  I quess that is short for chemical induced flavoring.
Pretty cool unless you just want a plain old pop and there are several kids in front of you.  may make what was easy and fast long and difficult.

Ill take a slurpee.

[RichardMEL]

OK watching this video MADE ME.. I repeat MADE ME!!! IT WAS NOT MY FAULT... buy a can of coke... oh yeah.. YUM!!!!!!!

does it count that I took a binder with it??? 

[Zach]

Ill take a slurpee.

 

[RichardMEL]

my fave ever slurpee flavour we had here a year or so back: Lemon, Lime & Vanilla. Sounds bad, but it was great.

I had a frozen "blue" fanta also the other day - it was yummy!!!!

[paul.karen]

Richard do you have 7-11's down there?

or do your slurpees come from elsewhere.
I realize a dumb question but i dont know the answer

[RichardMEL]

Yes we have 7-11's here, and that's where slurpees come from 

[LightLizard]

coca-cola is poison. it has been determined that one coke per day increases your chances of developing a metabolic disorder by 70 percent.
the truckers who deliver the syrup that coke is made from use the syrup to clean rust from their truck engines. some state troopers actually carry a few cases in the trunks of their cruisers because coke is great for cleaning blood off of the road.
it also makes excellent toilet cleaner. pour in a bottle, wait 15 minutes. flush. presto! clean toilet!
i am surprised and a little disgusted that dialysis patients would even consider drinking the crap, or any product like it.
i guess we all have the right to choose how we die.
 

[Zach]

And stomach acid will peel the paint off your car.
I want my Coca-Cola!
 

[okarol]

coca-cola is poison. it has been determined that one coke per day increases your chances of developing a metabolic disorder by 70 percent.
the truckers who deliver the syrup that coke is made from use the syrup to clean rust from their truck engines. some state troopers actually carry a few cases in the trunks of their cruisers because coke is great for cleaning blood off of the road.
it also makes excellent toilet cleaner. pour in a bottle, wait 15 minutes. flush. presto! clean toilet!
i am surprised and a little disgusted that dialysis patients would even consider drinking the crap, or any product like it.
i guess we all have the right to choose how we die.
 

Yeah, that same old email gets dredged up every so often - more urban legend than truth - snopes says it's false anyway http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

My daughter did a science experiment once - iron nails left to soak in 3 liquids - Coke, water and orange juice. Water did the most damage after 2 weeks. (It was tap water though )

[Chris]

coca-cola is poison. it has been determined that one coke per day increases your chances of developing a metabolic disorder by 70 percent.
the truckers who deliver the syrup that coke is made from use the syrup to clean rust from their truck engines. some state troopers actually carry a few cases in the trunks of their cruisers because coke is great for cleaning blood off of the road.
it also makes excellent toilet cleaner. pour in a bottle, wait 15 minutes. flush. presto! clean toilet!
i am surprised and a little disgusted that dialysis patients would even consider drinking the crap, or any product like it.
i guess we all have the right to choose how we die.
 

Yeah, that same old email gets dredged up every so often - more urban legend than truth - snopes says it's false anyway http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

My daughter did a science experiment once - iron nails left to soak in 3 liquids - Coke, water and orange juice. Water did the most damage after 2 weeks. (It was tap water though )

Also was tested on Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel.

[RichardMEL]

oooh a 70% chance of a metabolic disorder??? Wow I'm shaking in fear.

Good grief. We're dealing with a terminal disease like kidney failure and someone would be worried about a coke a day? I mean seriously! (and I do not drink a coke a day incidently, maybe one a week). Hell I've seen people bring coke into dialysis and drink it and the nurses don't even worry about tsk tsk tsk.

semi-appropriate anecdote from today at dialysis: I had brought a rather large container of M&M's in for the nurses and I had it in my bag. Well I am just getting it out of my bag as the DIETICIAN walks over and asks me how my diet is going!!!  I said to her "You would have to come and ask that when I'm holding this in my hands wouldn't you???" Luckily she had the good sense of humour to understand and have a laugh too. Meanwhile the nurses scoffed the M&M's (and then cursed me for bringing them... hahaha)


At some point you have to balance worrying about stuff like that and actually enjoying life a little. If I was going to worry about every little thing out there I'd be living on rice and water, or something like that. Thing is I could get hit by a bus tomorrow also.


I have a high metabolism anyway! :p

[Des]

Now I really like you ...

I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!!! 

[LightLizard]

oooh a 70% chance of a metabolic disorder??? Wow I'm shaking in fear.

Good grief. We're dealing with a terminal disease like kidney failure and someone would be worried about a coke a day? I mean seriously! (and I do not drink a coke a day incidently, maybe one a week). Hell I've seen people bring coke into dialysis and drink it and the nurses don't even worry about tsk tsk tsk.

semi-appropriate anecdote from today at dialysis: I had brought a rather large container of M&M's in for the nurses and I had it in my bag. Well I am just getting it out of my bag as the DIETICIAN walks over and asks me how my diet is going!!!  I said to her "You would have to come and ask that when I'm holding this in my hands wouldn't you???" Luckily she had the good sense of humour to understand and have a laugh too. Meanwhile the nurses scoffed the M&M's (and then cursed me for bringing them... hahaha)


At some point you have to balance worrying about stuff like that and actually enjoying life a little. If I was going to worry about every little thing out there I'd be living on rice and water, or something like that. Thing is I could get hit by a bus tomorrow also.


I have a high metabolism anyway! :p

well, with tht line of thinking, you may as well get out the heroin and cocaine.
anyone with kidney disease that drinks coke, or any soft drink, is pretty much an idiot in my book.
but hey, i know about americans and how you can't tell them anything about anything, really, so fill yer boots!
 

[paul.karen]

Hey LL
See the peace sign im making.  Now im slowly pulling my pointing finger down and turning my hand backwards.

Why i felt i should back you up the other day is beyond me.  Seems your the one who THINKS they know it all.

Great way to generalize.  And you dont know much about Richard either do ya.

Why Not act your age?  And sadly your from my home Country

[marti824]

Wow, I don't usually like to get into pissing contests, but, give me  break.  i am 50 years old, i've never smoked and never drank, and never taken drugs, but yet, i have suffered kidney failure.  Would that have been different if I had done all those things? who knows?  Should I sit here and blame the diet pepsi for my lot in life? i don't think so. Who can the person that's never been sick a day in his life and drops dead of a heart attack blame? Like the expression goes, you can't take it with you, so I say, enjoy your life while you can because you never know how long you will have, with our without the diet coke!

[circleNthedrain]

"Pissing contest"  Hahaha  In this forum??

[Chris]

Refer to mcjanes post about what's in water at http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=10140.new;topicseen#new

 

[Zach]

Refer to mcjanes post about what's in water at http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=10140.new;topicseen#new

 

 

[okarol]

 

[Des]

oooh a 70% chance of a metabolic disorder??? Wow I'm shaking in fear.

Good grief. We're dealing with a terminal disease like kidney failure and someone would be worried about a coke a day? I mean seriously! (and I do not drink a coke a day incidently, maybe one a week). Hell I've seen people bring coke into dialysis and drink it and the nurses don't even worry about tsk tsk tsk.

semi-appropriate anecdote from today at dialysis: I had brought a rather large container of M&M's in for the nurses and I had it in my bag. Well I am just getting it out of my bag as the DIETICIAN walks over and asks me how my diet is going!!!  I said to her "You would have to come and ask that when I'm holding this in my hands wouldn't you???" Luckily she had the good sense of humour to understand and have a laugh too. Meanwhile the nurses scoffed the M&M's (and then cursed me for bringing them... hahaha)


At some point you have to balance worrying about stuff like that and actually enjoying life a little. If I was going to worry about every little thing out there I'd be living on rice and water, or something like that. Thing is I could get hit by a bus tomorrow also.


I have a high metabolism anyway! :p

well, with tht line of thinking, you may as well get out the heroin and cocaine.
anyone with kidney disease that drinks coke, or any soft drink, is pretty much an idiot in my book.
but hey, i know about americans and how you can't tell them anything about anything, really, so fill yer boots!
 

Hi,
My name is Des and I am an idiot. I am drinking 7up (sugarfree, colourfree and cafeine free) at the moment.
And I am not even in America.

Heheheheheheheh

[RichardMEL]

well, with tht line of thinking, you may as well get out the heroin and cocaine.
anyone with kidney disease that drinks coke, or any soft drink, is pretty much an idiot in my book.
but hey, i know about americans and how you can't tell them anything about anything, really, so fill yer boots!
 

Wow dude, does that  suggest you're trying to be funny here or are you just trying to be insulting? Clearly you totally missed the point of my post.

What a totally ridiculous and overboard suggestion to link heroin and cocaine with a can of coke once a week. What'd the deal? It's not even alcohol (yes, I had a beer after work tonight.. better get the keys out and lock me away.. oh and I don't deserve dialysis right because clearly I'm ruining my body)... oh yeah I bought chocolate for others... I must be a real bloody fool!!

WOW!

Assuming your post was partially serious here's my response: You're totally free to act and believe as you like with your body - and if that means you're never going to have a chocolate because of the high K or drink a dark soft drink because of the P or whatever.. that's totally fine - nobody's making you.

I'll repeat again what the point of my post really was - and it's about LIVING LIFE. You know that same dietician I mentioned in my post you scoffed at? She said to me my labs were all really good and that clearly I was in good control of my diet and fluid intake.

So if you think that's stupid.. well I'm a bit confused. My Calcium, Potassium and Phosphate are all well within the normal ranges for dialysis.

The thing about the renal diet (to me, anyway) is that it's not about denying yourself everything (although I haven't had a banana in 3 years it's true) but it's about moderation. For example for lunch today I had a chicken parma - that's higher in K and P (with the cheese and tomato) so what will I do for my evening meal? choose lower K and P options... and over a 24 hour period it all balances out. I also had a 2nd binder with my lunch meal because of the higher phosphates in the meal.

It works for me, and I get to actually enjoy life a little - and to me, right now, quality of life is just as important, if not more important, than quantity of life... but hey I figure if I keep all my labs well within range then my quantity will be just fine also... including a coke every so often.

Oh and by the way FYI I am *not* an American. I have been there many times, but I'm from another "A" country - Australia.

I really hope you were trying to joke with your post but I get the sad feeling you weren't.

[Zach]

Back to the original newspaper article .... here's an interesting sidebar:

New Soda Machine Uses Dialysis Technology
07/23/2009
ATLANTA—Coca-Cola recently unveiled its “fountain of the future,” which is a soda machine that uses dialysis technology to precisely pour a number of custom flavors, according to a report by Fast Company.

“The ‘PurePour’ technology was originally developed to measure extremely precise amounts of dialysis and cancer drugs,” Fast Company wrote in an article. “Beyond that, RFID scanners are used to match cartridges to dispensers, and the onboard computer confirms everything is in place. Existing soda fountains use five-gallon concentrate bags and lots of backroom labor. Now all that is required is a highly concentrated 46-ounce cartridge inside a self-contained machine."

http://www.renalbusiness.com/hotnews/soda-machine-dialysis.html