Austin Man Tests 'Candy Cannon' for Socially Distant Trick-or-Treat Video Series
A man in Austin, Texas, is embracing socially distanced trick-or-treating by testing a variety of methods to delivery candy with minimal contact as a coronavirus safety precaution.
Software engineer Luke Keyes said he has been toying with several ideas this year, including a candy launcher, a drone, and even a robot delivery system.
Keyes said he and his wife, Michele Benedisuk, “really love” Halloween, adding that her family would host a “haunted garage” experience each year.
The couple have put their own twist on Benedisuk’s Halloween tradition, holding annual “Haunted Science Labs” out of their garage in Austin. Keyes said their spooky science labs drew “about a hundred people” last year.
“We built a reputation in the neighborhood, and this year some of the neighborhood kids would ask about what it was going to be like,” Keyes told Storyful.
Keyes said he and his wife “were torn” about what to do this Halloween in light of the pandemic. They ultimately decided not to hold a haunted garage and instead planned to create a video series demonstrating socially distanced trick-or-treating methods.
This footage shows Keyes sending treats sky-high with his PVC-pipe “Candy Cannon” for the first part of his series.
Keyes said the Candy Cannon was originally a confetti launcher he built for his wedding and it has since been used on Easter, birthdays, and other special occasions. Keyes said while the Candy Cannon is a fun concept, he won’t be using it on Halloween as it’s “unpredictable and a little dangerous.”
Keyes said his robot Artie will “definitely” deliver candy on Halloween, and he’s hoping to conjure up a second robot in time for additional deliveries. Credit: Luke Keyes via Storyful
