Licking this “lollipop” will let you taste virtual flavors

It produces nine flavors: Sugar, salt, citric acid, cherry, passion fruit, green tea, milk, durian, and grapefruit.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has long sought to incorporate the human senses into virtual and mixed-reality environments. In addition to sight and sound, researchers have been trying to add the sensation of human touch and smell via various user interfaces, as well as taste. But the latter has proved to be quite challenging. A team of Hong Kong scientists has now developed a handheld user interface shaped like a lollipop capable of re-creating several different flavors in a virtual environment.....

Many people suffer from "gustatory disorders," per the authors, but the current tests for such conditions are highly subjective and are time-consuming to prepare, since it requires a series of solutions of varying concentrations for all five basic flavors. The lollipop device could be adapted for such a test, in which users could lick the device and provide feedback about what they taste by clicking on the relevant button on a corresponding GUI.

Another potential use is immersive online shopping in virtual grocery stores. Users could touch a specific virtual food and be able to taste that item. The device could also prove useful in a mixed-reality educational environment, such as a parent helping their child explore the flavors of different foods.