Media report on futuristic chopsticks invented by Ranasinghe
IEEE Spectrum magazine, Digital Trends, Newsweek, The Telegraph, The Sun, 94.9 WHOM, Q97.9, WCYY and Smithsonian magazine reported Nimesha Ranasinghe, an assistant professor and director of the Multisensory Interactive Media Lab at the University of Maine, has invented a pair of chopsticks with embedded electrodes to simulate flavors in food. The electrodes zap the tongue to simulate flavors such as saltiness, shown through a study to increase the perception of saltiness in test subjects who used the chopsticks to eat unsalted mashed potatoes, according to IEEE Spectrum. “The flavor would be external to whatever you’re consuming,” said Ranasinghe, who hopes the technology could allow people to alter the flavor of their food while maintaining a healthy diet that is not too high in salt. Ranasinghe has simulated sourness and bitterness in other projects as well. However, two of the electrodes on the chopsticks must touch the tongue to impart the flavor, which presents limitations. But this is more of a pioneer project. “It’s like TV in the 1950s,” said Ranasinghe, predicting future advances that will allow more variations.