From brainstorming to the first crisps flying off the production line

Behind the project is the marketing agency Good Game, which specialises in connecting brands with the world of computer games and esports. For the Chio brand, it was looking for a way to create an original activation that would naturally fit into the environment of live streams.

The idea for the automatic crisps dispenser originated during an internal brainstorming session and quickly gained support from both the agency and the client.

„The idea of the automated chicken dispenser amused us from the moment it was first raised at an internal brainstorming session. Because the client fell in love with it too, we looked for a partner who would fine-tune the mechanics with us and then manage to manufacture them,“ recalls Laura Havlová, Client Service Manager at Good Game.

After approaching several companies, development ended up in PrusaLab.

A brief that isn't written every day

The client's requirements were relatively clear.

The device was supposed to shoot crisps remotely, work reliably during streams, hold a larger supply of ammunition and be sufficiently quiet and safe for home use.

Accuracy was not a priority. On the contrary. Mild unpredictability was welcome, because it was precisely unexpected interventions and misdirected shots that were supposed to create entertaining moments for the viewers.

However, the most demanding part of the task wasn't launching the crisp itself. The real challenge was the automatic loading.

How to get crisps into the catapult

Wotsits are not an ideal engineering material.

They have an irregular shape, varying weight, break easily and tend to jam. That is precisely why a large part of the development focused on designing a feeding mechanism that could reliably dispense one piece at a time.

Following a series of experiments, we chose a solution utilising a bucket elevator. It was originally designed horizontally, but at the required capacity, it took up too much space.

By redesigning it into a vertical position, it was possible to significantly reduce the footprint of the device while maintaining a capacity of approximately 30 to 40 crisps in the hopper.

The movement of the conveyor was ensured by a NEMA 17 stepper motor, the same type of motor we use in our 3D printers.

Mechanics, electronics and the internet

The same motor also powered the launching mechanism itself. This utilised a specially designed throwing spoon capable of repeatedly and reliably launching individual crisps.

The control electronics were built on a combination of Arduino Uno and Raspberry Pi. The Arduino handled motor control, while the Raspberry Pi provided higher-level system logic and readiness for future function expansion.

It was precisely this modularity that later proved to be the right choice, because during subsequent campaigns it was possible to further expand the functionality of the device without fundamental design changes.

Almost completely printed

Apart from the electronics, motors and fasteners, the majority of the structure was completely manufactured using 3D printing.

Digital manufacturing has made it possible to quickly verify new part variants, adjust the geometry of mechanisms, and respond immediately to problems discovered during testing.

The transparent acrylic elements were not chosen solely for aesthetic reasons. They allowed a glimpse into the functioning of the entire device and showed technical enthusiasts what was happening inside the smoker.

Following the completion of the prototype, a long period of testing, movement tuning and synchronisation of the individual parts followed.

Put simply, we had to consume a really large number of test crisps.

When the community starts building its own copies

After handing over the device, the client's programming team took care of connecting to the streaming platform and defining the game launchers.

Once chicken guns appeared with influencers, not only the gaming community but also the wider public began to notice them. The device quickly became a prominent feature of the entire campaign.

Dozens of internet memes, fan reactions and even a few functional home-made copies inspired by the original solution have emerged.

That tends to be one of the best proofs that something truly memorable has been created.

Result

The campaign exceeded the expectations of both the client and the agency.

The Chicken Guns generated more than 345,000 interactions and over 21 million impressions as part of the media campaign. However, the most important result came at the end.

The Chio Fried Chicken product range recorded year-on-year sales growth of 14.9 %.

For us in PrusaLab, the project was proof that technology doesn't only have to solve industrial or scientific problems. Sometimes a well-designed mechanism can help create a marketing campaign that people won't forget even several years after it has ended.

And let’s face it – it’s not every day a person gets tasked with building an automatic crisps-shooting machine.