Maine Edge interviews Ranasinghe about Virtual Cocktail
The Maine Edge interviewed Nimesha Ranasinghe, an assistant professor in the School of Computing and Information Science at the University of Maine, for an article about his Virtual Cocktail invention. “I’m not creating technology, I’m creating experiences,” said Ranasinghe, whose research focuses on multisensory interactive media, augmented reality and human-computer interaction. The Virtual Cocktail, or Vocktail, is designed with RGB LED lights, scent cartridges and silver electrodes to simulate a beverage experience through color, taste and smell by adjusting the settings through a connected smartphone app. It also is designed to augment the flavor of an existing beverage, the article states. “If you don’t like the taste of your drink, the Vocktail can change it,” Ranasinghe said. Ranasinghe told The Maine Edge he is “focusing on health problems now and in the near future,” for example, using his invention to help address obesity and other issues by simulating flavor experiences without the salt, sugar and other ingredients that can contribute to health problems when consumed in excess.