# Robot With A 'Nose' For Good Wine By Greg Ponesse | Published 2006-09-05 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robot-with-a-nose-for-good-wine References: [guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/story/0,,1864338,00.html) The ability to discern good wine from bad, name the specific brand from a tiny sip and [recommend a complementary cheese](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/personalized-wine-recommendation-app) would seem to be about as human a skill as there is. In Japan, robots are doing it. Researchers at NEC System Technologies and Mie University have designed a robot that can taste -- an electromechanical sommelier able to identify dozens of different wines, [cheeses and hors d'oeuvres](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-powered-food-delivery-robots). "There are all kinds of robots out there doing many different things," said Hideo Shimazu, director of the NEC System Technology Research Laboratory and a joint-leader of the robot project. "But we decided to focus on wine because that seemed like a real challenge." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 20% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Gadgets](https://www.trendhunter.com/gadgets) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Wine-tasting Robots:** The trend of developing robots with the ability to taste and identify various wines and food is disrupting the traditional sommelier industry. - **Sensory Recognition Technology:** The trend of using advanced sensory recognition technology in robots is creating opportunities for innovation in the food and beverage industry, allowing for more precise identification and recommendation capabilities. - **Robotic Sommeliers:** The trend of creating robotic sommeliers is revolutionizing the wine and hospitality industry by providing unique and automated wine-tasting experiences. ### Where This Applies - **Food and Beverage:** The food and beverage industry can benefit from disruptive innovation by incorporating wine-tasting robots to enhance customer experiences and improve product recommendations. - **Hospitality:** The hospitality industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by embracing robotic sommeliers to offer personalized and efficient wine-tasting services to guests. - **Technology:** The technology industry has the potential for disruptive innovation through the development of advanced sensory recognition technology, enabling more sophisticated applications in various sectors. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Beverage Service Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/richtech-robotics-scorpion.md) - [Robotic Smell Integrations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/robotic-smell.md) - [Interactive AI Sommeliers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-sommelier.md) - [AI-Blended Wines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/von-stiehl-winery.md) - [AI Sake Pairings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sake-pairings.md) - [Virtual Wine Concierges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jessup-cellars.md) - [AI-Powered Cooking Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/al-dente.md) - [Beverage Dispensing Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ottobot-brew.md) - [Wine Intelligence Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/firstleaf-ai.md)