Introduction to Virtual Drinks and Food
We have Virtual Reality (VR) and virtual worlds. Next, we’d like virtual drinks, virtual food, and the likelihood to make use of the technology in some cool applications adding the potential of improving people’s sensations. The combination of visual, auditory, and haptic feedback media helps within the creation of a very immersive Virtual Reality experience. Add to the combo smell and taste and the result’s a complete VR experience upgrade.
The Virtual Cocktail – Vocktail
Having that blend in mind, the Virtual Cocktail -or Vocktail- and the Vocktail Bar were born. The world’s first of its kind technology focuses on two of our senses: Smell and taste. It highlights how by manipulating the senses and playing tricks on the brain it’s possible to experience some flavors without secondary effects. Scientists from Japan’s Keio University and the National University of Singapore Connective Ubiquitous Technology for Embodiments (CUTE) center developed the virtual cocktail immersive VR technology.
The Virtual Experience and the Future of Drinks
Imagine having fun with your favorite drinks without having to present up driving after an evening on the bar or a hangover next morning. Future applications for this technology include adding a salty taste to food without adding any salt. Or having fun with something sweet with no sugar added. Something futuristic-like perhaps, as if it were taken right from Star Trek’s Ten Forward remark lounge within the twenty fourth century.
Virtual Reality, Immersive Technologies, and a Vocktail
“Our approach is to reinforce the beverage flavor experience by overlaying external sensory stimuli,” said lead researcher Dr. Nimesha Ranasinghe. By using immersive technologies and sensors, Vocktail simulates the taste, smell, and look of an actual cocktail. The technology uses a scent that’s pumped into the glass, a LED light that emits a spread of colours, and two silver electrodes positioned on the rim of the glass.
How Vocktail Works
The combination of signals tricks the brain into receiving a full and authentic taste sensation. You could possibly be drinking sparkling water and your brain could possibly be sensing a gin and tonic. The virtual cocktail glass helps you to change the flavour of your drink using an application in your smartphone, customizing drinks and tastes. A glass of water will be became a mojito or a glass of wine on the press of a button.
Smell, Taste, and Sight
- Smell: The 3D-printed glass houses three scent cartridges connected to micro air-pumps. Through the pumps, smell molecules are released and this changes your perception of the beverage’s flavor.
- Taste: On the rim of the glass are two electrode strips. They send electric pulses into your tongue to stimulate your taste buds. A jolt of 180 microamps mimics a sour taste, while 80 microamps gives a bitter taste, and 40 microamps a salty taste.
- Sight: The Vocktail also tricks the brain using an LED light system at the bottom of the glass. The color corresponds to the drink. So, a maroon light corresponds to a red wine, for example.
Teleporting Virtual Lemonade
Previously, Dr. Nimesha Ranasinghe’s team had developed a virtual lemonade which flavor could possibly be shared over the Internet and thru a smartphone application. If this appears like science fiction, wait a number of years. Teleporting and replicating are going to be an integral a part of the kitchen within the smart home.
The Science Behind the Virtual Cocktail
Virtual Cocktail an interactive drinking device that digitally simulates multisensory flavor experiences. The Vocktail system utilizes three common sensory modalities, taste, smell, and visual to create virtual flavors and augment the prevailing flavors within the drink. The customized virtual flavor sensations are configured via Bluetooth.
Conclusion
The Vocktail Bar was open to the general public on the Future Tech Now show in London, England and is one of the popular Virtual Reality innovations which were introduced this 12 months. The advantages of this technology range from easy social applications where it’s possible to create custom flavors and share them with friends through social media to medical scenarios where illness or old age restrict your weight loss plan. The technology could make it possible to benefit from the flavors that we love without having adversarial reactions to actual ingredients. With the Vocktail, the long run of drinks and food is looking more virtual and more exciting than ever.
