Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Scientists Develop the First Artificial Tongue in the World, Made with Graphene Oxide, Capable of Identifying Flavors with Up to 96% Accuracy and Revolutionizing Health and Food Industry.
Scientists have taken an unprecedented step in the field of bioelectronics by developing the first artificial tongue in the world capable of sensing and processing flavors directly within liquids. The discovery, published on the 15th in the scientific journal PNAS, promises to open new frontiers in chemical detection, both in the medical field and in the food industry and environmental monitoring.
The prototype uses graphene oxide membranes — ultrathin carbon sheets that act as molecular filters — to control the movement of ions, slowing it down by up to 500 times. This delay is crucial for the system to create “flavor memories” that last about 140 seconds, allowing the machine to recognize and differentiate different taste patterns.
How the First Artificial Tongue in the World Works
Inspired by the functioning of human taste buds, the device can identify four basic flavors: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. In tests with simple liquids, the accuracy rate varied from 72.5% to 87.5%. However, in more complex beverages, such as coffee and soft drinks, the accuracy reached an impressive 96%.
-
Ten undergraduate students received an astronomy homework assignment, began sifting through data on the university’s computer, and ended up discovering the oldest star ever recorded in the universe, a cosmic immigrant that formed shortly after the Big Bang and was wandering alone towards the Milky Way.
-
Scientists reveal that Saturn’s rings may have formed after the destruction of a moon, and a study indicates that the planet’s bright structure is only 100 million years old.
-
A Brazilian who does not work at any space agency calculated a round trip route to Mars in just 7 months using asteroid trajectories as cosmic shortcuts, and the study was accepted by one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world.
-
A continent of plastic that keeps growing: what no one tells you about the largest garbage dump in the world, which continues to grow endlessly.
The major innovation is that, unlike previous systems, this artificial tongue does not rely solely on external computers to process the data. Part of the analysis is done within the liquid environment itself, which keeps the flavors in their natural ionic state, enhancing the accuracy of the reading.
The system learns with use, becoming more efficient over time in differentiating similar flavors — something essential for applications in the food industry and the detection of adulteration.
Potential Medical and Industrial Applications
The researchers believe that the reach of this technology goes far beyond simply “tasting” food. In the medical field, the first artificial tongue in the world could be used to early detect diseases through the chemical analysis of body fluids, such as saliva or blood. Patients who have lost their sense of taste after a stroke or neurological diseases could also benefit, regaining some of their ability to identify flavors.
In the food industry, the technology could revolutionize quality control of beverages and food, ensuring greater safety and consistency in flavor. With accuracy close to 100%, it would be possible to detect minimal variations that would go unnoticed by human tasters.
Another promising application lies in environmental monitoring, where the artificial tongue could identify changes in the taste of water caused by contamination, serving as a quick alert to prevent public health issues.
Challenges to Make the Technology Practical
Despite its transformative potential, the first artificial tongue in the world still faces technical barriers before hitting the market. The current equipment is relatively bulky, consumes more energy than ideal, and needs to increase its sensitivity to recognize very low concentrations of certain substances.
Scientists point out that improvements in miniaturization of components, integration with neuromorphic hardware (capable of mimicking the functioning of the brain), and energy efficiency are essential steps for the device to become a practical and accessible tool. The expectation is that, with technological advancements, the size will be reduced to the point of fitting into portable devices within the next decade.
Graphene Oxide: The Heart of Innovation
The use of graphene oxide is another highlight of the project. This material is made up of extremely thin layers of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, with unique properties of electrical conductivity and mechanical strength. In the artificial tongue, it acts as a selective molecular filter, allowing the passage of ions in a controlled manner.
This precise control is what guarantees the “flavor memory,” allowing the system to compare the detected pattern with previous records, similarly to what the human brain does when recognizing familiar flavors.
A Step Toward the Future
For the professor leading the study, the advance represents not just a scientific curiosity, but a significant step toward the development of artificial sensory systems. “We are confident that this technology could transform the way we analyze and monitor liquids, from the water we drink to medications and processed foods,” he stated.
If the coming years confirm the projected potential, the first artificial tongue in the world could be present in factories, hospitals, and even in household devices, helping to ensure the quality and safety of everything we consume.
-
Uma pessoa reagiu a isso.