Motivation

Why a big glowing popcorn stand? The project is foundationally an act of Gifting, and motivated/constrained by some key criteria:

• Accessible: Can be enjoyed by almost anyone! (Of note: our popcorn is free of common allergens, except of course for corn!)
• Interactive: Not just to be looked at, but necessarily interacted with.
• Practical: Possible to store in an apartment, transport in a typical car, and operate economically.
• Fun: Engaging to create and a pleasure to operate.

Popstar continues to exceed expectations in all of the above!

Nerdy Stuff

• Frame is a steel base (8 pieces), aluminum poles and struts (15 pieces), and steel fasteners (42 pieces).
• Faces are 6 wind-permeable fabric panels lit by 28m of 24V LED strip in aluminum channels (at 720 LEDs/m in the COB strip that’s almost 20,000 LEDs).
• Lighting controlled by QuinLED Dig-Octa Power-7HC and Brainboard (way overkill after the project went 24V), running a lightly-customized build of WLED.
• Powered off-grid by 1.8 kWh of LiFePO4 batteries and 200W of PV panels, or on-grid by a 480W plug-in power supply.
• Despite standing over 9′ tall, the longest parts are 7’2″ and the entire kit fits in a compact car.
• Popcorn production is achieved off-grid using butane burners and hand-crank poppers, or on-grid using an 8oz 850W electric popper.
• Transforms into its own wheeled platform for short-distance transport.
• Can be assembled by three people in about 15 minutes.
• Over 2,500 bags served to-date!

Future Plans

• Motorization of the wheeled platform
• Custom automatic butane popper
• Lit sign

Acknowledgements

• Big thanks to the Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society for their support.
• Shout out to the Vancouver Hack Space and many awesome members for their knowledge and encouragement.
• Personal thanks to Aida V. and Chelsey S. for their help building the project!