Sweet Freedom!
On the outside, vending machines may be covered with bright colors, cute graphics, and flashing lights, but on the inside, you’ll find industrial computers, robotics, sensors, databases, and network-connected software. This makes them fun reverse engineering targets for hardware hackers, especially when manufacturers tightly control how owners are allowed to use the hardware.
That's exactly the situation the creator behind Block's Retro Repairs found himself in after purchasing a commercial automated cotton candy vending machine. Rather than just repairing the machine, he spent weeks reverse engineering both its hardware and software to remove online dependencies, unlock hidden functionality, and restore it to full working order — with zero support from the manufacturer.
A look inside the case (📷: Block's Retro Repairs)
At the core of the machine is an embedded Android computer driving a reflective touchscreen and coordinating every aspect of the system. A multi-axis robotic arm retrieves paper sticks,...
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