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Good Thinking

Oncle Sam popcorn machine pops one piece at a time

By Adam Williams
November 26, 2012
Oncle Sam popcorn machine pops one piece at a time
The Oncle Sam popcorn machine (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
The Oncle Sam popcorn machine (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
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The Oncle Sam popcorn machine (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
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The Oncle Sam popcorn machine (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
Oncle Sam is part of ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
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Oncle Sam is part of ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
Oncle Sam utilizes a tea-light candle to heat a grain of corn and once duly popped, salt is also added for flavor (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
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Oncle Sam utilizes a tea-light candle to heat a grain of corn and once duly popped, salt is also added for flavor (Photo: ECAL/Nicolas Genta)
Oncle Sam uses a tea-light candle to pop one popcorn at a time
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Oncle Sam uses a tea-light candle to pop one popcorn at a time
The contraption was created for ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition
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The contraption was created for ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition
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Oncle Sam is a popcorn machine art installation which focuses on popping corn one kernel at a time, allowing the user to partake of a tasty snack without consuming too many calories.

The leisurely popcorn machine utilizes a tea-light candle to heat a single grain of corn. Once duly popped, salt is also added for flavor. Each step of the process is performed with low-tech levers and pulleys, and produces just one finished popcorn at a time, perhaps increasing the appreciation of flavor as a result.

The contraption was created for ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition
The contraption was created for ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition

Oncle Sam was created by Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL) students Laurent Beirnaert, Pierre Bouvier, and Paul Tubiana for ECAL’s Low-Tech Factory exposition – the same project which was home to the Rocking-Knit Chair.

This short promo video demonstrates Oncle Sam popping corn.

Source: ECAL, via designboom
ECAL Low-Tech Factory/Oncle Sam

View gallery - 5 images

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6 comments
Adam Williams
Adam Williams
Adam scours the globe from his home in Spain in order to bring the best of innovative architecture and sustainable design to the pages of New Atlas. Most of his spare time is spent dabbling in music, tinkering with old Macintosh computers and trying to keep his even older VW bus on the road.

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6 comments
Slowburn
It solves the 'I have to finish off the bowl' problem.
Richard Handel
Humm? Is it me? Or does this sound like another stupid dieting gimmick? I have always, and my family & friends eat pop corn bye the 'hand's' full, The only time I/we eat them one at a time is when your at the bottom of the cup, and that's to sort out the uncooked corn pieces that can break your teeth PS;; how would this work when where at the movie theatres ? Again:: who out there eats one piece at a time????
Riaanh
Love it, these students are really creative.
With the advent of electronic control systems I feel that we are losing some of the pure mechanical skills which were so strong in the 19th Century.
Amanullah Rana
one corn at a time, when i'll be able to eat a bowl full of pop corn? in 2022?
kellory
It would be more interesting, at least, if it was automated by a sterling engine. both could be run of the same candle, and it consumes no fuel except heat. With a band spring, a few cogs and levers, you could have a machine that would deliver one piece at a time, at a steady pace, without needing further input.
Gregg Eshelman
Reminds me of Val Kilmer in "Real Genius".