Chinese scientists invent artificial tongue to measure spiciness instantly

Chinese scientists have designed a gel-based “chili meter,” an artificial tongue that provides quick, accurate levels of spiciness, helping you to avoid tongue-searing burns and watery eyes.

Hu Jing, a professor at East China University of Science and Technology, said, “The evaluation of spiciness is highly subjective.”

Hu told CGTN that when her team was working on this, they hoped to develop a way to measure spiciness without relying on human senses—a material that could directly assess the level of spiciness.

The concept is based on a well-known remedy: milk can help soothe the burning sensation caused by chili peppers. This is because milk proteins bind with capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in peppers.

To capitalize on this, the team created a soft, stretchable gel infused with milk proteins. When the gel comes into contact with capsaicin, the proteins attach to it and block the flow of ions within the gel.

This decrease in electrical current allows for an accurate measurement of heat within just 10 seconds. Additionally, the gel is capable of measuring the pungency of garlic, onions, ginger, and other similar substances.

In the near future, such materials will be used for better food quality control, medical treatment, and perhaps even to manage a major gap in today’s humanoid robots: the sense of taste.

Hu expressed her hope for further integration of the material with humanoid robots and artificial intelligence, aiming to broaden its applications in daily life.