Looking at the delicious food on Instagram certainly makes our mouths water, but we may be able to taste them in the future.
A team of scientists from the National University of Singapore has developed a “digital taste interface” which may enable us to do this.
The device delivers heat and current to the tongue, simulating the sweet, sour, salty and bitter sensations that we are familiar with, although the fifth sensation, “umami”, which is savory and pleasant, has yet to be replicated.
Held against one’s tongue, this bit of circuitry transmits sensations via electrodes, and there are plans to make this prototype fit into one’s mouth in the future, like a lollipop.
Apart from this fun use, this device can also be used to let diabetic people taste sugar without actually absorbing its chemicals.
Would you try to taste the food on your screen, or is it too disgusting to think about?
[via Huffington Post and ABC News]