Students from the Swiss State University of Fine Arts Lausanne unveiled the world's most low-tech popcorn machine "Oncle Sam" at the "Designers' Saturday" event in Langenthal, Switzerland.

The world's most low-tech popcorn machine "Oncle Sam"
The world's most low-tech popcorn machine "Oncle Sam"


Oncle Sam is a low-tech popcorn machine that can make only one popcorn at a time. However, the mechanism is large and complicated like the "Pitagora device".

The machine consists of a container that stores the raw materials corn, water, and salt, and a cooking section that heats them to make popcorn. By turning the handle at the bottom of the machine, the ingredients are collected in the cooking section in the center of the machine and heated by the candles. Eventually, the temperature of the corn rises, and the hard seed coat pops to form popcorn.

When you turn the handle
When you turn the handle


Corn is put into the cooking department
Corn is put into the cooking department


Salted
Salted


It can be heated by the candle flame
It can be heated by the candle flame


Eventually the corn pops and becomes popcorn
Eventually the corn pops and becomes popcorn


It is stored in the lower tray
It is stored in the lower tray


Let's take good care of each grain!
Let's take good care of each grain!


The project aims to reinterpret the popcorn manufacturing process, which is commonplace. By making popcorn, which is normally mass-produced at one time, one by one, people pay attention to the manufacturing process, appreciate it, and aim to be able to taste one popcorn more deeply. At the same time, he wanted the popcorn manufacturing process to be visually enjoyed as a show.

Well, what would this machine look like if it were made in Japan? "Rice cooker that can cook only one grain at a time" or "Soba making machine that can only cook one grain at a time"? Hmmm, all are annoying! But I don't hate that kind of annoyance. If you are a Japanese beauty college student, would you please make one?