Page 168 - The Miracles of Smell and Taste

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The Electronic Tongue
The dazzling structures in the tongue have inspired a number of scien-

tists. Devices that imitate the functions of the human tongue, known as
electronic tongues, are still at the developmental stage. These devices are
being developed to be able to distinguish fresh foods from stale and to
identify decay caused by bacteria. The electronic tongue is an electronic cir-
cuit with up to 100 tiny holes, each of them designed as an artificial taste
bud. Any liquid dropped onto the circuit is absorbed by the holes, like a
sponge. Then, the artificial taste buds change color according to the chemi-
cal composition of the liquid, and the results appear on a screen. For exam-
ple, a liquid that tests pink is sweet, and a light yellow one is slightly sour.
Eric V. Anslyn, one of the researchers into the electronic tongue, states
that its design can identify up to 100 different flavors. 149 That’s the current
state-of-the-art, at which research and development projects performed for
years by a great many scientists and engineers with large budgets have ar-
rived. Compared with the human tongue, the artificial tongue’s capacity

and quality is exceedingly primitive. Moreover, the sense of taste has been
functioning to perfection ever since the creation of Man.
The difference is of course plain to see. The electronic version is
the product of design, planning and engi-
neering. If all the components of this de-
vice were set placed on a table, and if

The sensors used in the electronic
tongue. No matter how small these
sensors seem, they are very large
compared to the receptors in the taste
cells.