Simulating the sensation of taste for immersive experiences

Abstract

With the continuous advancements in computing and media, the technology has widened to include the multisensory experiences in digital interactions. Although there are quite a lot of systems in auditory, vision, and haptic domains, remarkably few attempts has been made in the sense of taste. Thus, in this paper, we discuss the importance of the sensation of taste as a form of immersive media and the current problems of simulating taste sensations digitally. Furthermore, we review various state of the art technologies and approaches for simulating the sensation of taste. Finally, we present a technology to simulate the sensation of taste electronically using electrical and thermal stimulation of the human tongue to facilitate immersive digital experiences.