Scientists create electric lollipop that lets you taste virtual reality flavors

Virtual reality has mastered visual and auditory experiences, and even made progress in touch and smell, but taste has remained an elusive frontier — until now.

Researchers have created a miniature "lollipop" device that could revolutionize how we experience taste in virtual reality environments. The research team (a collaboration between Chinese, Hong Kong, and Japanese research institutions) has developed a portable, lollipop-shaped interface that can generate up to nine different taste sensations.

The device is like a high-tech lollipop that contains safe, edible chemicals trapped in a special jelly-like material (similar to what's used in some candies and food products). When a small electrical current is applied (iontophoresis), it pushes these taste-producing chemicals onto your tongue, creating different flavors. Think of it like a tiny flavor dispenser that uses electricity to release specific tastes when you want them. The strength of the current controls how much flavor is released, so you can make tastes stronger or weaker.

The researchers have integrated an olfactory interface with seven different scent channels, combining taste and smell for a more complete sensory experience.

Beyond entertainment and gaming, researchers say the device could be used in medical taste assessment and remote shopping experiences, i.e. "taste before you buy."

Previously:
• Digital synesthesia: Tricking your brain into experiencing smell as temperature in virtual reality