This article is about an event or subject that may not be current but does not specify the time period. Please help
improve it to include this information. The
talk page may contain suggestions. (October 2023)
A digital lollipop is an electronic device that synthesizes
virtual tastes by stimulating the human tongue with electric currents. The device can produce four primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Digital lollipops were developed through research led by Nimesha Ranasinghe at the
National University of Singapore.[1][2][3]
Design
According to Ranasinghe, "The system can manipulate the properties of electric currents (magnitude, frequency, and polarity: inverse current) to formulate different stimuli. Currently,[as of?] we are conducting experiments to analyze regional differences of the human tongue for electrical stimulation."[1][4]
The devices generate
alternating current signals through a sliver electrode, stimulating the tongue's taste receptors to emulate the major taste components. It also produces small, varying amounts of heat to simulate food.[4]
Eventually, the digital lollipop could aid
Alzheimer's patients by helping them "either enhance or suppress certain senses". It may also allow people with
diabetes to experience sweetness without increasing their blood sugar levels.[2][5] The National University of Singapore research team is developing Taste Over Internet Protocol (TOIP) that would allow taste information to be communicated between locations.[6]
Nimesha Ranasinghe, Hideaki Nii, Adrian Cheok, Ryohei Nakatsu, Ponnampalam Gopalakrishnakone, Digital Taste Lollipop: Studying Electrical Stimulation on Human Tongue to Simulate the Sensation of Taste, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (Elsevier), Jan 2013