Eating popcorn just got a whole lot messier, thanks to the Popinator. Simply put, “the desk-based ‘Popinator’, by U.S. brand Popcorn Indiana, waits for the command word ‘Pop!’, and then aims itself at you, analyses all the angles, and shoots a piece of popcorn directly into your waiting mouth.” Continue reading for a video and more information.
The machine uses twin ‘ears’, or microphones, to determine where to fire. As soon as anyone says ‘Pop!’, the machine perks its head, and listens to the two sets of soundwaves its ears picked up to determine where the voice came from. After a split-second piece of calculus, the machine aims and fires – similar to those old artillery games you may have played in the 1980s – and, assuming your mouth is open, a fresh piece of popcorn is delivered direct to your hungry mouth.
