A Remote for the Vending Fridge. A Mobile App for Buying Refrigerated Food
My Fridge is an app for remotely controlling Belaya Sphera vending machines. The app allows users to purchase products from these vending fridges. The app runs on iOS and Android.
6 design variations for the app
Over a year in development
12 outlets in Moscow
Task
The customer wanted an app for remotely controlling vending fridges that supported cashless payments.
The app had to work as a key for accessing the fridges through an authorized account and make it easy to pay for products.
Solution
We have developed a mobile app using KMM.
After signing up, the user can scan a QR code on the fridge, which grants them access to the products. The app automatically identifies which products have been taken through the RFID tags and then charges the user.
One or several cards can be added to the app and used to pay for purchases.
Development Process
Five app designs discarded. The customer had trouble with finding the right design. Prototyping enabled us to quickly and cost-efficiently prepare several variations, so that the customer could envision the final appearance of the app.
Access and payment. Each fridge has a unique QR code. The app scans this QR and gives access to the fridge. We had an existing library on hand for such a case, so we simply integrated it into the project.
Every product has an RFID tag attached to it, which allows the system to identify what products are taken out of the fridge. Once the fridge door is closed, the app charges the user for the products and debits the linked card. The app cannot be used without adding a bank card.
Testing was done over video calls with the customer, since the app requires a fridge nearby, which was not available in our city. We instructed the customer on what and where to tap and observed the response in the app and backend. To review the data sent by the app and backend, we used a special network traffic analyzer. We tested a variety of scenarios, for instance, opening of a fridge door, fridge closing without any products having been taken, and so on.
The Hardest Part
Agreeing upon the app logic and integration with the customer’s API took a long time.
How we solved these tasks
We discussed the current logic implementation and potential follow-ups directly with the customer. They ran the tests on their end, and we made adjustments to the app according to their requirements.
We resolved issues with the API in collaboration with the customer’s backend developers: we learned the ins and outs of the API, tested it, discussed the shortcomings, and remedied them. Thanks to our combined efforts, we managed to integrate the third-party API into the app.
Arina Vernigorova
“Looking at the app’s features, I can tell you that if such fridges were available at my city, I would use them a lot. The app is easy on the eye and has an intuitive UI. I’m often too pressed for time to get a proper lunch, so grabbing a prepackaged meal from a fridge would be quite convenient!“
Technology Stack
iOS on Swift
Android on Kotlin
MPP on KotlinResults
We have created an app that unlocks customer‘s vending fridges using a QR code. To use the app, a sign-up is required: the user has to provide their phone number and link their bank card.
The app is available for download on iOS and Android devices.
Each fridge has a unique QR code which should be scanned through the app to unlock a fridge and take the products
