New Lickable TV Lets Users Taste Food They Are Watching on the Screen

It is hard to believe but lickable TV screens are no longer a concept of the future as these are very much here and will soon be making their way to our homes.

Looks like drooling over food displayed over your TV screens has finally become a thing of the past, no more late-night cravings just because you saw a bowl of hot ramen or some chicken nuggets commercial on the TV. A Japanese professor decided to change this by inventing a prototype of a lickable Television.

These screens aim to imitate the flavours of the food displayed across your television screens.

According to a report from Reuters, the device is called Taste the TV (TTTV). The underlying mechanism behind this new tech is that it uses a combination of flavors from 10 canisters to spray onto a sheet of film that is rolled over the TV or tablet screen, which users can then lick to taste a particular food.

Homei Miyashita, a professor at Meiji University in Tokyo, told Reuters that the goal is to provide the people with the luxury to taste their favourite culinary creations from around the world in the comfort of their homes, especially during the pandemic.

The prototype was developed last year by Miyashita and is expected to cost around US$875 only.

According to a demonstration video, researchers blended various foods and used sensors to taste them.

The canisters spray different flavours in a combination to create a desired taste profile. The video also shows a demonstration of how the TTTV uses this. For instance, you could add flavouring to toast or crackers, or even make your food taste like something else entirely.

Miyashita further briefed Reuters about various other uses of this lickable TV e.g. the device could also be helpful for distance learning classes for chefs.

One Meiji student demonstrated TTTV for reporters, telling the screen she wanted to taste sweet chocolate. After a few tries, an automated voice repeated the order and flavour jets spritzed a sample onto a plastic sheet.

The professor who works with a team of 30 students has developed multiple flavour related products including a fork that is supposed to help make the food taste better.