4 April, 2016, Japan: Extra bit of salt always makes the food a bit more tastier, but it also puts the consumer’s body on a high risk of increasing blood pressure. The sodium content present in the salt is considered as a harmful ingredient for high BP patients, if it is consumed in large amount. In order to manage the intake of the sodium content, the engineers of Japan have developed a prototype electric fork that uses electrical stimulation to simulate the taste of salt.
The newly developed fork is manufactured at the University of Tokyo’s Rekimoto Lab, the device runs on a battery and it is equipped with a conductive handle that completes a circuit when the tines make contact with a diner’s tongue, electrically stimulating their taste buds. The device is prepared by electronics that cost just US $18 and also has adjustable levels of stimulations as every individual has a different taste.
When pushed too far, though, the fork can produce an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth. So if it’s ever commercialized, there will need to be an initial calibration procedure to ensure a pleasant and tasty dining experience, without going so far as to cause physical discomfort, reports Gizmodo.com.