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MHFI 2020 - Eating like an astronaut.pdf (5.8 MB)

Eating like an astronaut: how children are willing to eat “flying” food using acoustic levitation

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conference contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 20:49 authored by Chi Thanh ViChi Thanh Vi, Asier Marzo, Dmitrijs DmitrenkoDmitrijs Dmitrenko, Martin YeomansMartin Yeomans, Marianna Obrist
How food is presented and eaten influences the eating experience. Novel gustatory interfaces have opened up new ways for eating at the dining table. For example, recent developments in acoustic technology have enabled the transportation of food and drink in mid-air, directly into the user's tongue. Basic taste particles like sweet, bitter and umami have higher perceived intensity when delivered with acoustic levitation, and are perceived as more pleasant despite their small size (approx. 20 L or 4mm diameter droplets). However, it remains unclear if users are ready to accept this delivery method at the dining table. Sixty-nine children aged 14 to 16 years did a taste test of 7 types of foods and beverages, using two delivery methods: acoustic levitation, and knife and fork (traditional way). Children were divided into two groups: one group was shown a video demonstrating how levitating food can be eaten before the main experiment whereas the other group was shown the videos after. Our results showed no significant differences in liking of the foods and beverages between the two delivery methods. However, playing the video prior to the test significantly increased the liking and willingness to eat vegetables in the levitation method. Evaluative feedback suggested that a bigger portion size of levitating foods could be the game-changer to integrate this novel technology into real-life eating experiences.

Funding

Why some foods smell sweet: the neural-basis of odour-taste associations; G2369; LEVERHULME TRUST; RPG-2018-068

Levitate; EUROPEAN UNION; 737087

SenseX - Sensory Experiences for Interactive Technologies; G1589; EUROPEAN UNION; H2020-ERC-2014-STG-638605

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Companion Publication of the 2020 International Conference on Multimodal Interaction

Publisher

Association for Computing Machinery

Page range

341-347

Event name

4th Workshop on Multisensory Approaches to Human-Food Interaction

Event location

Virtual event, Netherlands

Event type

workshop

Event date

October 25th, 2020

Place of publication

New York, NY, United States

ISBN

9781450380027

Department affiliated with

  • Informatics Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Creative Technology Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2020-10-01

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2021-01-14

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2020-09-30

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