Digital simulator translates taste of virtual food to the tongue

Led by Nimesha Ranasinghe, researchers at the National University of Singapore have cooked up a tasty new technology: a digital simulator that translates the taste of virtual food and drink to the tip of the user’s tongue.

The device includes a small, silver electrode that gets attached to the tip of the tongue. By slightly alternating the current and temperature of the semiconductor, taste receptors are tricked by signals that replicate the four major tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.

The team envisions the incorporation of their technology with visual content like TV shows, a partnership that would be especially enjoyable to fans of cooking shows, as it would allow the viewers to taste the foods being prepared on-screen.

It could all see use in the world of video games.

“In a gaming environment we could come up with a new reward system based on taste sensations,” Ranasinghe told New Scientist . “For example, if you complete a game task successfully, or complete a level, we can give a sweet, minty or sour reward. If you fail we can deliver a bitter message.”

While the electrical and thermal stimulation is noninvasive, the device is tethered to the OS and must be held to the tongue. The group hopes that in later rounds they’ll be able to go wireless with the device, and make it so that the user can operate with his / her mouth closed.

Now, while the purpose of the device might seem like a bit of a novelty, the group is thinking of uses beyond entertainment; specifically for healthcare applications.

“People with diabetes might be able to use the taste synthesizer to simulate sweet sensations without harming their actual blood sugar levels,” he said. “Cancer patients could use it to improve or regenerate a diminished sense of taste during chemotherapy.”

Now that we’ve whet your appetite with all of these photos and descriptions, check out the video below to the see the device in action.

Story via: newscientist.com