Virtual reality (VR) has revolutionized our digital experiences, enabling us to see, hear, and even touch things in virtual worlds. Now, thanks to a breakthrough from researchers at City University of Hong Kong, it’s about to add another sense to the mix—taste.
In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have unveiled a lollipop-shaped device capable of delivering different flavours, bringing a new level of immersion to VR environments. The device, described as a “portable lollipop-shaped gustation interface,” allows users to experience adjustable taste sensations, expanding the sensory possibilities within virtual, augmented (AR), and mixed reality (MR) experiences.
While VR has long been able to simulate sight, sound, and touch through advanced haptic devices, the sense of taste has proven challenging to replicate. The City University of Hong Kong team believes that taste plays a significant role in shaping our physiological and psychological experience. The researchers pointed out, “Taste significantly influences both the physiological and psychological aspects of human experience,” but the development of taste-generating technologies in VR is still in its early stages.
The researchers designed a system that uses food-grade chemicals stored in gel pockets on a mouthpiece. These chemicals are activated using electrical currents, creating a taste sensation that combines with the user’s saliva. The result is a virtual experience where you can taste everything from fruit flavours to savoury dishes, making the virtual world feel more real than ever before.
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How It Works:
The VR lollipop is embedded with small packets of agarose gel, a substance derived from red algae. These gels contain different flavour chemicals—sugar, salt, citric acid, cherry, passion fruit, green tea, milk, durian, and grapefruit. When the lollipop’s gel pockets are stimulated by an electrical current, the chemicals rise to the surface and mix with the user’s saliva, producing a taste sensation that matches the virtual world they are interacting with.
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By adjusting the intensity of the electrical current, the strength of the taste can be varied, providing users with the ability to fine-tune their experience. The device is lightweight, weighing only 15 grams, which is approximately the same as an AAA battery, ensuring portability and ease of use in various VR scenarios.
To further enhance the virtual tasting experience, the researchers paired their VR lollipop with a seven-channel smell simulator. This system uses small strips of paraffin wax beneath the nose, releasing scents that correspond with the tastes users experience in the virtual environment. This combination of taste and smell could revolutionize how we interact with food in VR, offering a more complete multisensory experience.
Imagine watching a cooking show like The Great British Bake Off, where viewers could taste the dishes being prepared in real-time. With the addition of these sensory devices, food shows could become more immersive than ever, bringing the flavours of the food directly to the viewer.
The potential applications for this taste-generating technology are vast. One promising use is in remote shopping. With the rise of e-commerce, consumers could one day taste food products from the comfort of their homes before making a purchase. Whether you’re shopping for a snack or planning a dinner party, the ability to experience the taste of products online could change the way we shop for food.
Moreover, the device could play a crucial role in medical applications. For example, it could be used for remote gustation assessments—essentially a taste test equivalent to an eye exam. This could benefit patients who need to monitor their sense of taste for medical reasons, such as those undergoing treatment for cancer or other conditions that affect taste.
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Additionally, the technology could be used in educational and entertainment settings, where users can explore the flavours of different foods virtually. Whether for learning purposes or fun, the ability to taste virtual food could create new opportunities for interaction and engagement in mixed reality (MR) environments.
While the VR lollipop holds immense promise, there are still some limitations to the technology. The gels used in the device tend to wear out after about an hour of use, requiring replacement. Moreover, the current range of flavours is limited to just nine options, though researchers are already working on expanding the number of flavours and improving the longevity of the device.
Despite these challenges, the researchers are optimistic about the future of taste simulation in virtual reality. They plan to continue exploring ways to enhance the technology, such as adding more flavour channels and developing longer-lasting gel materials.
