In the future, it might be possible for you to soon taste delicious dishes like those from Monster Hunter Wilds or other video games. American researchers have achieved a breakthrough allowing digital dishes to be tasted.
How is that going to work? For the initial tests at Ohio State University, a taste interface called e-taste
was used. This is a system that consists of three components:
- An electrochemical sensor platform that captures information about the taste of a food item.
- A wireless data transmission protocol that can give instructions and control remotely, transmitting the recorded taste data.
- An activation system that replicates tastes using edible chemicals. For this purpose, a hydrogel is placed on the tongue, releasing the corresponding chemicals.
With the system, it is possible to distinguish the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (savory/meaty). An edible chemical is used for each taste: for umami, it is glutamate, which you know as an ingredient in many Asian dishes. For sweet, it is glucose, found in fruits.
The technology enables users to distinguish basic flavors. By mixing certain chemicals, even more complex flavors can be recreated.
The technology would be perfect for Monster Hunter Wilds since the food looks particularly delicious there:
Tasting virtual dishes in reality
How well does it work? However, the device also has its limits: You still cannot distinguish a cod from a salmon. There are also problems recognizing the flavors of cakes and coffee.
The scientists report an accuracy of 70% after the initial trials. The first volunteer testers were able to distinguish different intensities of acids well. To improve the system further, the team plans to prevent the interaction between chemicals that disrupt the taste.
Additionally, the researchers found issues with residues in the system. Future systems are to be designed to deliver a fresh taste every time.
What is it good for? This technology would likely be tried out by many of you in the video game space. After all, who wouldn’t want to taste potions or raid virtual pastry shops without gaining weight?
Such a device could be a revolution in the VR field.
Furthermore, in the future, you could send your loved ones the taste of your homemade roast. This would especially provide an opportunity for people with sensory impairments to experience taste again.
The technology would also allow you to try the perfectly looking dishes in Monster Hunter Wilds. The parts of the series are known for their particularly appetizing menus. This has even led to a boom in “cheese naan” in Japan: 99 Cheese Naan, please! In Monster Hunter Wilds, the food looks so delicious that restaurants are experiencing a boom
