A dispensing system, comprising: a cartridge comprising: a body having an exterior and a plurality of bins; a plurality of lids movably attached to the body, the lids having closed positions wherein the lids cover the respective bins; a release mechanism movably attached to the body and the release mechanism movable along an axis; a plurality of latches movably attached to the body and comprising an upper latch arm pivotable about an axle and a lower latch arm pivotable about the axle, each of the plurality of latches engage a respective fastening element of the plurality of lids when in a first position and release the fastening element when in a second position; an cartridge connector having contacts exposed on the exterior of the body for receiving a command signal; wherein the lids cannot be opened except by receipt of a command signal by the cartridge through the cartridge connector and the release mechanism will not cause a latch to move to the second position when the release mechanism is moving along the axis in a first direction and the release mechanism will cause a selectable one of the plurality of latches to move to the second position while leaving the remaining latches in the first position when the release mechanism is moving along the axis in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, whereby the upper latch arm is urged to the second position by a stop bar; and a cabinet comprising: a housing having a docking location configured to accept a cartridge; a docking connector attached to the docking location, wherein the docking connector connects to the contacts of the cartridge connector when the cartridge is placed on the docking location; and a controller coupled to the docking connector, the controller configured to send the command signals to the cartridge via the docking connector to open one or more of the lids. a cartridge comprising: a body having an exterior and a plurality of bins; a plurality of lids movably attached to the body, the lids having closed positions wherein the lids cover the respective bins; a release mechanism movably attached to the body and the release mechanism movable along an axis; a plurality of latches movably attached to the body and comprising an upper latch arm pivotable about an axle and a lower latch arm pivotable about the axle, each of the plurality of latches engage a respective fastening element of the plurality of lids when in a first position and release the fastening element when in a second position; an cartridge connector having contacts exposed on the exterior of the body for receiving a command signal; a body having an exterior and a plurality of bins; a plurality of lids movably attached to the body, the lids having closed positions wherein the lids cover the respective bins; a release mechanism movably attached to the body and the release mechanism movable along an axis; a plurality of latches movably attached to the body and comprising an upper latch arm pivotable about an axle and a lower latch arm pivotable about the axle, each of the plurality of latches engage a respective fastening element of the plurality of lids when in a first position and release the fastening element when in a second position; an cartridge connector having contacts exposed on the exterior of the body for receiving a command signal; wherein the lids cannot be opened except by receipt of a command signal by the cartridge through the cartridge connector and the release mechanism will not cause a latch to move to the second position when the release mechanism is moving along the axis in a first direction and the release mechanism will cause a selectable one of the plurality of latches to move to the second position while leaving the remaining latches in the first position when the release mechanism is moving along the axis in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, whereby the upper latch arm is urged to the second position by a stop bar; and a cabinet comprising: a housing having a docking location configured to accept a cartridge; a docking connector attached to the docking location, wherein the docking connector connects to the contacts of the cartridge connector when the cartridge is placed on the docking location; and a controller coupled to the docking connector, the controller configured to send the command signals to the cartridge via the docking connector to open one or more of the lids. a housing having a docking location configured to accept a cartridge; a docking connector attached to the docking location, wherein the docking connector connects to the contacts of the cartridge connector when the cartridge is placed on the docking location; and a controller coupled to the docking connector, the controller configured to send the command signals to the cartridge via the docking connector to open one or more of the lids.