The Cupcake Machine

Summary

The Cupcake Machine is a playful experience combining audience participation, performance, puzzles and cupcakes encased neatly in an unmarked truck.

The Cupcake Machine is an glorious old cupcake making machine, which is first presented to the unsuspecting audience members on a tour hosted by an enthusiastic Cupcake Machine representative. But the tour eventually goes terribly awry when the machine breaks down. Smoke, alarms, flashing lights everywhere! The participants must then fix the machine by solving puzzles – pushing buttons and pulling levers on the machine. If they are successful, they will be rewarded with delicious cupcakes dispensed by the machine.

This project explores the integration between performance, audience participation and puzzle games. The machine was built with wood, amarine battery, an Arduino, multiple LED’s, arcade buttons and joysticks. and it was installed inside of a rented box truck.

Awards/Publications/Exhibitions/Demo

Lost Horizon’s Night Market (2012). More about the event: [site]

Gallery

Developing circuit for one of the three puzzles.

Interface wall built before installing into truck.

Nick drilling holes into cupcake machine wall. Photo by Ida Benedetto.

Kaho with some last minute programming. Photo by Ida Benedetto.

Lever wiring on back of wall. Photo by Ida Benedetto.

The barker and the crowd. Photo by Ida Benedetto.

Crowd gathering. Photo by Ida Benedetto.

A successful team. Photo by Ida Benedetto.