The paradox of digital taste is that, as much as technology advanced, it seemed destined to remain an abstract, almost philosophical concept. How do you digitize something as profoundly analog and personal as flavor? And yet, while we were discussing the theoretical impossibility, a group of researchers from theOhio State University was quietly revolutionizing the field with a device called e-Taste.
The system is a taste bridge capable of transmitting real flavors across considerable distances. And it really works: in tests, a person in California dipped the sensor in lemonade, and another person in Ohio (almost 4.000 km away) perceived the digital taste on their tongue.
The race for immersive experience continues
In recent years, we have seen increasingly bold attempts to make virtual reality experiences more immersive and personal. In 2022, researchers at Stockholm University They had already created a device called the “olfactometer,” which allowed users to sense the smells of virtual environments while wearing a VR headset.
But smell is only half the sensory equation. The real breakthrough comes now. with the ability to deliver real flavors directly to the user's tongue. And I'm not talking about some vague electrical simulation, but of an authentic tasting experience that faithfully replicates the original flavours.
The point is interesting: it is about digitizing and transmitting information that until now was considered strictly physical and personal.
How Digital Taste Architecture Works
The e-Taste is composed of two main elements: a “taster” (taster) and a “receiver” (receiver). The sensor contains a special patch that can detect the key molecules responsible for the five tastes: bitter, salty, sour, sweet and umami. During their research, the team focused on detecting glucose and glutamate on the sensor patch.
The receiving part includes a patch that rests on the tongue and a pump connected to a liquid channel that carries flavor solutions. When electrically stimulated, the liquid passes through a gel system on the person's tongue, providing a realistic sensation of tasting food.
Precision and versatility of virtual flavor
The specific taste and its intensity can be adjusted by changing the volume of fluid discharged from the pump. During human trials, participants wearing the receiver kit they were able to identify different acidity levels with 70% accuracy.
In addition to helping build a better, more dynamic gaming experience, the study notes that the work could be useful in promoting accessibility and inclusivity in virtual spaces for people with disabilities.
I am particularly struck by the therapeutic potential of this technology. Imagine people who have partially or totally lost their sense of taste who could return to perceive flavors through this digital interface. Or again, think about how useful it could be for identifying and sampling potential food sources under difficult conditions, for the shopping online, distance education, quality monitoring for freshness and consistency using robotic machines, or remote analysis of taste perception by doctors.
Distance and latency: digital taste will travel far
The team tested e-Taste on two different network protocols. The short-range implementation covered a distance of 200 meters, while the long-range design relies on an internet connection without distance limits.
“This concept is here and it’s a good first step to becoming a small part of the metaverse,” he says. Jinghua Li, co-author of the study (that I link to you here) and a member of the institution's faculty.
This isn't the first such attempt to augment the VR experience with a digital sense of smell or taste.
Last year, a study at Northwestern University has led to the creation of a special “electronic lollipop” capable of reproducing flavours.
Two years ago, OVR revealed the wearable kit ION 3 for XR hardware that can produce hundreds of scents using a cartridge system.
The researchers of the City University of Hong Kong and Beihang University in China they developed a wearable sensor a patch that is based on miniaturized odor generators using scented wax.
We are truly witnessing a technological convergence that aims for a complete sensory experience.
Towards a complete gustatory metaverse
In addition to lemonade, the team also had human participants “taste” food-grade chemicals that mimic the flavors of cake, fried egg, coffee, and fish soup. This mixed-taste analysis was conducted using a mixed-channel e-Taste system called a “digital cup.”
As for latency, the short-range format had a “delay” of 0,3 seconds, while the values for long-range information transfer stood at 1,4 seconds. The sensor response time, on the other hand, it's about ten seconds.
The digital taste interface will usher in a new era of chemical-based AR/VR systems, allowing users to not only view and listen to virtual environments, but also taste them.
The team is now focusing on miniaturizing the e-Taste detection kit. They are also experimenting with a non-gel solution for delivering the taste chemicals. One idea involves using separate bags of water and taste fluid, varying the concentration accordingly.
Water solves another crucial problem: chemical residues in the canal connected to the tongue. After each session, a flow of water would clean the tube internally and reduce the chances of flavor contamination for future sessions.
The Technical Challenges of Digital Taste
The learnings from the e-Taste system can be used to develop VR gaming systems that can help users achieve an immersive sensation that combines the real taste and smell of what they are seeing in a virtual world.
For now, what we have is an experimentally validated system that demonstrates that it is possible to integrate digital taste into virtual experiences. What remains to be done (and it is not a small thing, in my opinion) is the miniaturization of the entire system and the standardization of electrochemical data representing various foods and beverages.
Beyond Virtual Reality: Everyday Digital Taste
Beyond the realm of VR, and moving to your humble computing station, there is another solution that is about to hit the market. Asus recently introduced a mouse that comes with a refillable aroma oil pouch. It can release beautiful scents into the air, adding a little zen to your entire work environment.
I wonder how long it will take before digital taste becomes a commodity, something integrated into our everyday devices as much as cameras and microphones are today. Perhaps in a few years we will be able to “taste” a dish we see in a YouTube video, or virtually sample a product before purchasing it online.
The digital taste paradox is about to be solved, and with it, the door to a full sensory experience in the virtual world. We are no longer limited to seeing and hearing; soon we will be able to taste as well. And that, my friends, may be the missing piece that makes the metaverse not just a place to visit, but an experience to be lived with all the senses.
Almost.
