The Steak Could Use a Little More Voltage

Half of Japan's adults have high blood pressure, and the culprit is the salt content of Japanese cuisine. Chefs are reformulating recipes, but scientists are also working on a tech solution: [bold added]

Japanese researchers have developed computerised chopsticks that enhance salty tastes, potentially helping those who need to reduce sodium in their diets.

Co-developed by Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita and beverage maker Kirin Holdings Co., the chopsticks enhance tastes using electrical stimulation and a mini-computer worn on a wristband.

The device uses a weak electrical current to transmit sodium ions from food, through the chopsticks, to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, said Miyashita.

"As a result, the salty taste enhances 1.5 times," he said.

Personally, I'd rather employ salt substitutes than run a "weak electrical current" through my mouth, but I'm usually late to the party and could be persuaded to use the chopsticks.

(RS logo from Adweek)

However, I'm never going to adopt this technology:

A Japanese professor has developed a prototype lickable TV screen that can imitate food flavours, another step towards creating a multi-sensory viewing experience.

The device, called Taste the TV (TTTV), uses a carousel of 10 flavour canisters that spray in combination to create the taste of a particular food. The flavour sample then rolls on hygienic film over a flat TV screen for the viewer to try.