What factor is suggested as a reason the idea of transactional automation lay dormant for so long?

Answer

Widespread use of standardized small-denomination coinage was less established

The text explores the historical documentation gap regarding Hero's invention, suggesting that the necessary economic infrastructure for popular adoption was missing in the Hellenistic world. While the mechanical principle was proven, the widespread use of standardized, universally accepted small-denomination coinage—which is essential for high-volume public vending services—was likely less established or less necessary for daily interactions compared to the structured economies of the 19th century. In an era where personal service or barter might have been more common, the impetus to pay a machine for a small volume of water simply did not exist to drive further invention or adoption.

What factor is suggested as a reason the idea of transactional automation lay dormant for so long?

Related Questions

What engineer designed the first coin-operated device for dispensing holy water automatically?What specific coin was required for activation in Hero’s Greek water dispenser mechanism?What principles powered Hero’s automated dispenser, contrasting with later vending technology?What was the primary purpose of Hero’s transactional automation device in the temples?Which of Hero's known works documents his numerous inventions, including the dispenser?What mechanical components did later vending machines, appearing in the 1800s, utilize that Hero's device lacked?Where was Hero of Alexandria's mechanical dispenser specifically installed to function?Approximately how long did the gap span between Hero’s dispenser and the next documented commercial vending machines?What factor is suggested as a reason the idea of transactional automation lay dormant for so long?In England during the early 1800s, what items were dispensed by the first known mechanical vending machines on steamships?
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