Tag: artificial tongue

Scientists have produced an artificial tasting tongue.  It is made from sub-microscopic slices of gold and aluminium which create ‘tastebuds’ that are around 500 times smaller than the human equivalent.  Subtle differences in how the metals absorb light allow the ‘tongue’ to identify individual spirits with more than 99% accuracy.  Picking up differences in complex chemical mixtures, sometimes resulting from barrel type and length of maturation, it is hoped that the ‘tongue’ will be used to identify counterfeit products.  Artificial tongues have been produced before, but this is the first time that two different types of nanoscale metal ‘tastebuds’ have… Read more