Digital lollipop

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A digital lollipop is a small electronic device that creates tastes on the tongue using tiny electric currents. It can produce four basic flavors: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The research was led by Nimesha Ranasinghe at the National University of Singapore. The scientists say they can adjust the electric current to create different taste sensations and they study how different tongues respond to electrical stimulation. The device sends signals through a tiny electrode to stimulate taste receptors and can even produce a little heat to mimic food. In the future, digital lollipops could help people with Alzheimer's by altering certain senses, and might let diabetics experience sweetness without raising blood sugar. The researchers are also working on Taste Over Internet Protocol (TOIP) to share taste information over distances.