It's big, it's bulky, it even has bulletproof glass.

It's "Shop24", the huge robotic vending machine situated behind Seneca Dining Hall. Morrisville State College was, in 2005, the first campus in the country to have one of these "automated convenience stores" installed.

"It is totally sophisticated and computer-run," said Glenn Gaslin, general manager of the Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation (MAC). Gaslin said Shop24 can accept cash, credit cards and dining points twenty-four hours a day for any items inside, all without the need for a human clerk.

Instead, the computer processes your payment and a robotic system of arms, levers and conveyors delivers your selection to you.

"It's convenient because people do not have to walk to town to get things," said Curtis Thorpe, a Resort and Recreation Management Technology major. "And you can use it when places on campus are closed."

Thorpe said he uses Shop24 often for drinks, but he thinks some of the prices are way too high.

The machine is currently stocked by All-Seasons Services, Inc., but Gaslin said MAC plans to take on that responsibility itself in the near future. He said this will serve students better because MAC will be able to stock its own products at better prices, whereas before all inventory and prices were set by All-Seasons, an outside vendor.

Gaslin said MAC intends to work with students to find out what products are most desirable for this campus. According to www.shop24.be, Shop24 can store and dispense pretty much any standard convenience store item like sandwiches, milk, sodas, cigarettes, batteries, tissues, disposable cameras, hygiene products, laundry soap, even iPod download cards.

"Pringles, Red Bull, anything that students want will be provided," Gaslin said. With so many products to choose from, Gaslin counts on students to provide MAC with a lot of feedback to help narrow down selection.

Shop24 units were originally designed and built in Belgium and, according to www.shop24.be, have recorded over 60 million consumer transactions in 160 locations throughout Europe. The American test market began only a couple years ago.

Because many items MAC plans to fill Shop24 with are made right here on campus, Gaslin said the overall quality of the products will be better as well. "Everything will be a lot fresher and people will be in the machine every day," Gaslin said.

As with other machines, Shop24 needs regular maintenance. Some students have complained that Shop24 is "always broken," but Gaslin said that is not the case. "It gets broken down very seldom compared to other vending machines," he said. "Over a two-year period, it has been really reliable." Gaslin said MAC has a very good maintenance crew that will be responsible for maintaining Shop24.

With a price tag of roughly $160,000 per machine (not including the goodies inside it), Shop24 will likely be a campus fixture for years to come.