Ever wished you could taste a friend’s meal without them shoving it in your face? Science might have just made that possible—sort of.
Researchers have developed an e-Taste device that can digitally recreate and transmit flavors remotely.
Facetime For Your Taste Buds
Think of it as FaceTime for your taste buds.
While we can already share sights, sounds, and even touch through technology, taste has remained elusive—until now.
The device has two main parts. First, an “electronic tongue” analyzes the key taste components of food or drink.
Then, that data is sent wirelessly to a receiver, which uses small pumps and edible chemicals to recreate the flavors directly on the user’s tongue.
Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami? Nailed it. Spicy? Not quite yet.
Dr. Yizhen Jia from Ohio State University explains that users will sip flavors through a straw-like outlet, which can even target specific parts of the tongue for a more precise experience.
Testing Showed Promising Results
Testing showed promising results, with participants identifying flavors with up to 87% accuracy.
Experts, like Professor Marianna Obrist from University College London, are calling it a major step forward for immersive tech.
So, what’s next? Virtual food tourism? Calorie-free indulgence? One thing’s for sure—your friend’s lunch updates just got way more annoying.
