NEUROCOMPUTING AND INTERFACING DIGITAL TASTING SYSTEM: RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND EVALUATION

Authors

Amira J. Zaylaa, Faculty of Engineering, Beirut Arab University, LebanonFollow
Ahmad El Hajj, Faculty of Science, Phoenicia University, LebanonFollow

Keywords

Neurocomputing, Digital Tasting System, Design, Stimulation, Interfacing, System Testing, E-Health, Healthcare Engineering.

Disciplines

Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering | Computational Engineering | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Engineering | Engineering Science and Materials | Health Information Technology | Life Sciences | Materials Science and Engineering | Public Health

Abstract

The continuous evolution in computing and interfacing has been extended to develop multi-sensory experiences in many domains such as neurological, auditory, vision, and haptic domains. So far, only a few remarkable system approaches have been approved to be serving the taste sensation digitally. Although taste sensation is linked to the brain, there is a lack of optimal neurocomputing digital taste sensation systems. Our study provides a new neurocomputing method to digitally stimulate the sense of taste by electrical stimulation on the human tongue. We aim to link chemical stimulation and electrical stimulation in order to design an electronic interface for inducing taste digitally. The design proposes a module that is responsible for electric and stimulation to produce different taste sensations. In addition, the taste is delivered through the tongue interface by silver electrodes, coupled with a control system responsible for generating specific stimulation parameters based on user inputs selected on his mobile. A spoon for implementing the taste interface is issued in order to provide a user-friendly tool as a solution for various problems. Experimental results showed that the new model and design of the digital taste system works well and testing results showed clearly that 90% of the tested members were able to distinguish the taste. Among the taste categories, the initial results recommended that sourness and saltiness are the most probable sensations that would be induced. Besides the Biomedical importance of the new taste system for people suffering from taste problems, (no sense of taste, bad taste in the mouth, diminished sense of taste, distorted sense of taste) and for people having diabetes and hypertension, this technology shows the possibility and could be considered for sharing tastes in social networking and adapting it in virtual reality, gaming and other domains, also the sensation of tastes could be improved by involving others senses such as olfactory and sounds and increasing the population of tested members.

Author ORCID Identifier

Amira Zaylaa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8420-5668

Ahmad El Hajj https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5434-3821

Recommended Citation

Zaylaa, Amira J. and El Hajj, Ahmad (2023) "NEUROCOMPUTING AND INTERFACING DIGITAL TASTING SYSTEM: RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND EVALUATION," BAU Journal - Science and Technology: Vol. 4: Iss. 2, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54729/2959-331X.1100

ISSN

2959-331X