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The Swap-o-matic is a vending machine  and based on the barter economy which playfully tries to remind us that reusing and recycling can be just as fun as buying something new. The machine allows users to donate and receive items, instantly and for free! The goal of this project is to put forward a shift in culture away from an accent on cataleptic consumption towards a more ecological way of life through reusing and trading. It is created by Lina Fenequito, a designer from New York. We know that we live in a consumerist society. Every day we are assailed with messages on TV and on the internet that we NEED something new! Consumerism is a social and economic state that promotes the desire for more than this already inequitable share of resources, regardless of the consequences.

what is the reason to use the Swap-o-matic?

* It is funy

* The economy’s bad, but you can still get something for free!

* It promotes recycling and reusing.

The basic rules of use for the Swap-O-Matic are simple. Though each item in the machine (donated by another user) will not cost the beneficiary any money, it will require “credits”. A credit is earned when the user donates to the system, and a credit is necessary to regain an item from the machine. New users obtain 3 credits to start. Users can donate, receive, or swap using the touch screen interface on the front of the machine. Other features, such as a user flag system, have been developed and implemented to prevent misappropriation or deadlock of the system.

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