During a weird conversation with a friend, when she said to me that people would be able to download food from the internet someday in the future, I could only laugh as a reaction to that. However, it seems like the idea will eventually become a reality as a Japanese professor has recently developed an electronic TV screen that allows users to taste the food displayed on it! And if you think I’m kidding, check out the details below.
Japanese Professor Develops Lickable TV Screen
A Japanese professor at Tokyo’s Meiji University named Homei Miyashita recently developed a multi-sensory display that can mimic the flavors of food items displayed on it. Viewers can then lick the screen to taste the food. Using this special screen, Miyashita developed a new device called “Taste The TV”, aka TTTV.
In a recent YouTube video by The National News, Miyashita explained how the TTTV works and what was the aim of creating such a device. You can check out the video right below.
How Does it Work?
Now, coming to the working of the device, the TTTV leverages basic chemistry to recreate the flavors of food displayed on it. According to Miyashita, all food flavors can be broken down into 10 basic tastes, including sweet, sour, savory, spicy, salty, bitter, and such.
So, the TTTV packs 10 flavor canisters inside containing different-flavored fluids. The device uses these flavor fluids to create 20 types of food samples, which are then sprayed on a hygienic film for people to lick.
“You can actually taste the food that is being displayed on the screen,” said Miyashita during an interview. “I am thinking of making a platform where tastes from all over the world can be distributed as ‘taste content’. It’s the same as watching a movie or listening to a song that you like. I hope people can, in the future, download and enjoy the flavors of the food from the restaurants they fancy, regardless of where they are based,” he further added.
