In our day to day we are surrounded by screens. Televisions, monitors, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and e-book readers are a constant in our daily lives. And we can say without fear of being wrong that at no time of the day does it occur to us to lick its panels in search of any special flavor. Not only because the devices have not been designed for that, but because it is also very unsanitary behavior. However, it seems that we will have to get the idea that in the not too distant future we will be able to lick the TV to get a taste of our favorite foods. At least that’s what he proposes Taste the TV (TTTV), the new madness that comes from Japan.
What are we talking about? Taste the TV is a prototype developed by Homei Miyashita, who is a professor at Meiji University. It is a television that can mimic the flavors of foods so that users can easily taste them. If you wonder how Well licking on the screen of the device.
As published Reuters, the device uses a compartment with 10 jars with flavored substances that combine to form the flavor of a particular food. The sample it is generated on a “hygienic sheet” that is automatically arranged on the TV screen so that the person who requested it can test it. It is clear, then, that Taste the TV is not a conventional television.
During the presentation of this peculiar gadget, Miyashita explained that he developed the prototype on his own over the last year. And he even mentioned that creating a commercial version would cost around 100,000 yen, which translates to about 773 euros with the current change.
Taste the TV wants to enhance the “multisensory viewing experience”
It is still too early to know if Taste the TV has a real chance of success, if it finally reaches audiences in Japan. It is undeniable that the first images of the prototype and its demonstration of use are not the most attractiveBut Homei Miyashita is confident: “The goal is to make it possible for people to experience something like eating at a restaurant on the other side of the world, even while staying at home.”
However, the creator of the prototype does not stop at that idea, but aims to go one step further. “I am thinking of creating a platform where flavors from all over the world are distributed as ‘palatable content’. It is the same as watching a movie or listening to a song that you like,” he predicted.
According to Miyashita, it could also be used to facilitate distance learning for sommeliers and cooks; or even in quizzes and tasting games. On the other hand, the developer would also be in talks with companies interested in the spray system incorporated in Taste the TV. This would allow potential implementations outside the television field since, he explained, a device could be created that applies the flavor of a certain food (pizza, for example) to a slice of toast.
We’ll see if Taste the TV manages to seduce investors and manufacturers not only in Japan, but around the world. The creator of this peculiar television is committed to enhancing a “multisensory viewing experience”; the process is still in its infancy but it could give us a first look at the future of content consumption, strange as it may seem.