Who has ever wanted to lick the television screen or cell phone at the sight of good food? This dream is one step away from becoming a reality because a Japanese scientist has created a prototype TV screen that can be licked to taste food.
The unique TV is named 'Taste-the-TV' or TTTV and was created by professor Homei Miyashita from Meiji University. He said the purpose of making this TV screen is to help users stay connected to the outside world, even from their own homes.
"The aim is to allow people to have a restaurant-like experience in other parts of the world, even while staying at home," Miyashita told Reuters, as quoted by the BBC on Sunday (12/26/2021).
TTTV is equipped with a carousel consisting of 10 cans of flavorings that can be sprayed to create a specific food taste. The food flavor sample is then sprayed onto a film or onto a disposable tray.
The layer is then rolled in front of the TV screen so that users can lick the taste of the food created. When finished, the plastic layer is pulled and then thrown away.
A student had a chance to demonstrate this unique TV. He asked TTTV to make 'sweet chocolate' and after a few tries his order was immediately sprayed onto a layer of plastic film.
"It tastes like milk chocolate," said the student.
Miyashita said the TV could be used for many things, such as training a chef or a sommelier remotely. He is also approaching several companies to develop other application methods, such as adding flavor to toast.
Miyashita also envisions there will be 'flavor content' from restaurants around the world that users can download to taste food virtually. If TTTV is sold commercially, Miyashita said this product will likely be priced at 100,000 yen.