# Tastetastic Technology Electronic Tongue Has a Distinguished 5-Flavor Palate By Jacqueline Parrish | Published 2009-09-03 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electronic-tongue References: [news.nationalgeographic](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090901-electronic-tongue_2.html) A piece of paper not much larger than a silver dollar, which was created by a team of researchers at an Illinois University, has the human ability to differentiate between sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness, and savoriness. A variety of different-colored gel pigments are dotted onto the paper and work together to unlock the different tastes. Future uses for the electronic tongue could be “a kind of breathalyzer that could [detect harmful bacteria](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/diagnoze), and biomolecules, which could provide people with an [early warning of diseases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/allergen-alert) such as pneumonia and lung cancer.” Fascinating! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 9% | Activity: 50% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Gadgets](https://www.trendhunter.com/gadgets) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Electronic Tongue:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Development of advanced diagnostic tools for detecting diseases based on taste. - **Flavor Differentiation:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creation of personalized food products and flavor-enhancing technologies. - **Bioanalytical Sensors:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integration of electronic taste sensors into wearable health monitoring devices. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Healthcare:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integration of electronic tongue technology into diagnostic and early detection systems. - **Food and Beverage:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implementation of electronic taste sensors in food processing and quality control. - **Wearable Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Application of electronic taste sensors in health monitoring wearables. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Virtual Flavor Simulators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/taste-in-virtual.md) - [Multisensory Television Screens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/taste-the-tv.md) - [Tastebud-Stimulating Spoons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-salt-spoon.md) - [Saltiness-Enhancing Electric Chopsticks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/electric-chopsticks.md) - [Taste-Adjusting Chopsticks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tasteadjusting-chopsticks.md) - [Wireless Tongue-Operated Trackpads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wireless-tongueoperated-trackpad.md) - [Candy-Coated Sampling Swabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/candycollect.md) - [Tongue-Controlled Digital Interfaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/digital-interfaces.md) - [Smart Health-Monitoring Mouthpieces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mouthio.md)