The Maine Edge publishes UMaine release on Ranasinghe’s Vocktail invention
The Maine Edge published a University of Maine news release on the augmented reality Virtual Cocktail invention developed by Nimesha Ranasinghe, a new assistant professor in the School of Computing and Information Science at the University of Maine. The Virtual Cocktail, or Vocktail, is a device connected to a mobile app that allows the user to adjust the amplitude and frequency of a tiny electric current running through the rim of a glass of water to simulate salty or sour flavors, according to the release. The colors and smells also can be adjusted to customize the beverage experience using the device developed at the National University of Singapore. Ranasinghe said virtual reality and augmented reality are like “TV in the ’50s,” since there are so many possible applications. His research is focused on expanding these opportunities, and he hopes this invention will help people on diets restricting salt, sugar and other ingredients enjoy the same flavors without the health risks, the release states.