Vending innoVation


The next vending safety evolution? T


Christy Lemons, founder and chief executive of Touch-LESS Global, has developed a touchless button that just might be the next big thing in vending. Touchless sensor buttons are a product for a mid- and post-COVID world populated with safety-conscious consumers and businesses.


he product is a sensor button that works as a touch-free sensor, so customers have the option of either


when they use a vending device. It’s an idea that was developed with simplicity in mind so the sensor buttons would be easy to install – and economical. Arizona-based Christy Lemons came up


with the concept when her beloved Las Vegas closed down with the first wave of the pandemic, early in 2020; with her background in healthcare and an inquisitive mind, she set about finding a solution to help Las Vegas safely re-open. “I grew up with a father who was an inventor and held several patents but was never able to bring anything to market,” Christy explains, “so I grew up appreciating that creativity and entrepreneurship. “It didn’t take me long to contemplate


how long it might take Las Vegas to re- open, and how the gaming experience might change when they did.” So far, Christy’s invention is used on slots


in several casinos in Latin America, with ongoing conversations with slot manufacturers and casinos in North America and worldwide. The beauty of the concept is that you


don’t have to touch a button for your desired reaction – though if you want to, you still can. It was initially developed for slot machines but Christy soon realised it could have much wider applications, for example the world of vending, elevator buttons and much more. The solution can be retrofitted quickly


and easily, with Christy saying it takes less than five minutes on average to replace a button panel on a slot machine; this ease of installation was a key part of the product’s design from the start. COVID has taught people around the world just what physical contact and


proximity can mean in health terms, and it’s a lesson most will carry forward in life. Christy elaborates: “People are more aware than ever now of what they touch and what that contact can mean; we will all move into a day and age where we want to touch as little as possible to keep our families and communities healthy. Replacing vending buttons with our touchless sensors is just one example of how flexible our technology is: there are so many additional ways we can leverage our transformative button functionality.” The company is now at a stage where it is looking for international partners to help develop its products – and to get them out in use in the wider world. Christy says: “It’s important to me to bring this technology to market in a flexible way that encourages widespread adoption for health and safety of the public and business sectors impacted by human touch: we can sell directly to operators, we can go through distributors, or we can go directly to manufacturers and negotiate a technology licensing


agreement. But it’s so important for this to remain affordable.” “Often, people don’t know they need something until they are presented with it because sometimes we lack the imagination to see it in our heads. I believe our touchless sensor buttons help combat the spread of COVID and other pathogens, and give people the confidence to keep using vending machines and other common buttons we utilise in our daily life. “The infectious disease and pulmonary doctors I have consulted with said that it is a general truism that it is always better not to touch than to touch when it comes to spreading germs. We strive to provide technology to enhance community and business safety through a better sanitation option to protect patrons, employees and communities worldwide. “We are not only a sanitary solution for


today but an answer for tomorrow as well. Be it Covid-19, the flu, the common cold or other bugs – the technology is safe, there are no if ands or buts about it.”


22 | vendinginternational-online.com


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