Item dispenser with motion-based removal detection

A dispenser for shopping bags, comprising:

• a holder configured to store a plurality of shopping bags, wherein the shopping bags are oriented to allow a front-most one of the shopping bags to be grasped and pulled for removal from the holder;
• an optical sensor directed toward the front-most one of the shopping bags to generate first motion data indicating translational movement of the front-most one of the shopping bags relative to the holder;
• and
• operational logic configured to perform actions comprising:
• determining that the front-most one of the shopping bags has moved by at least a threshold distance based at least in part on the first motion data;
• in response to determining that the front-most one of the shopping bags has moved by at least the threshold distance, generating a first event notice to indicate removal of a first shopping bag from the holder;
• determining that a second shopping bag has been inserted into the holder based at least in part on second motion data;
• and
• in response to determining that the second shopping bag has been inserted into the holder, generating a second event notice to indicate that the second shopping bag has been inserted into the holder.

A method for detecting removal or insertion of planar items that are stacked in a holder for individual withdrawal, the method comprising:

• receiving first data from an optical sensor, the first data indicating translational movement of a first planar item;
• determining that the translational movement is of at least a threshold distance based at least in part on the first data;
• in response to determining that the translational movement is of at least the threshold distance, recording a removal of the first planar item from the holder;
• receiving second data from the optical sensor;
• determining that a second planar item has been inserted into the holder based at least part on the second data;
• and
• in response to determining that the second planar item has been inserted into the holder, recording an insertion of the second planar item into the holder.