Chinese scientists have developed the world's first artificial tongue capable of distinguishing tastes directly in liquid, without the need for external data processing. The development is based on ultrathin membranes made of graphene oxide, which capture the movement of ions associated with different tastes and retain their “memory” for up to 140 seconds.
The technology allows the system to recognize both basic tastes and complex mixtures such as coffee or carbonated drinks, reaching an accuracy of up to 96%. This was made possible by combining sensing and information processing within the device itself — an approach close to neuromorphic computing, which models the way the human brain works.
The technology could have a wide range of practical applications: from non-invasive disease diagnostics, for example through saliva analysis, and helping people with taste disorders, to smart systems for monitoring the quality of water and food products. The sensor can detect even small deviations in the taste of drinks, signaling a potential problem.
With such an artificial tongue, you could open your grandmother’s jars without fear — if the lid didn’t click, no problem, let the taster try it first!
