AI-Powered 'Electronic Tongue' Revolutionizes Liquid Analysis and Food Safety

5 Sources

Researchers at Penn State have developed an AI-driven electronic tongue capable of detecting subtle differences in liquids, potentially transforming food safety, quality control, and medical diagnostics.

News article

Innovative AI-Powered Electronic Tongue

Researchers at Penn State have developed an innovative "electronic tongue" powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that can identify subtle differences in liquids. This groundbreaking technology has the potential to revolutionize food safety, quality control, and even extend into medical diagnostics 123.

How the Electronic Tongue Works

The electronic tongue comprises a graphene-based ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) linked to an artificial neural network. This device can detect chemical ions and is trained on various datasets 14. Unlike traditional sensors, this non-functionalized sensor can detect different types of chemicals without requiring a specific sensor for each potential chemical 4.

AI's Role in Enhancing Accuracy

Initially, researchers provided the neural network with 20 specific parameters related to how a sample liquid interacts with the sensor's electrical properties. Using these human-specified parameters, the AI achieved over 80% accuracy in detecting various samples, including:

  • Watered-down milk
  • Different types of sodas
  • Coffee blends
  • Fruit juices at various freshness levels 124

Remarkably, when the researchers allowed the neural network to define its own figures of merit using raw sensor data, the accuracy increased to over 95% 124.

Mimicking Human Taste Perception

The electronic tongue aims to mimic the complex process of human taste perception, which involves more than just the tongue. As Professor Saptarshi Das explains, "We're trying to make an artificial tongue, but the process of how we experience different foods involves more than just the tongue" 124.

To artificially imitate the gustatory cortex (the brain region that interprets tastes), the researchers developed a neural network that mimics the human brain in assessing and understanding data 124.

Insights into AI Decision-Making

Using a method called Shapley additive explanations, the researchers gained insights into the neural network's decision-making process. This approach, based on game theory, allowed them to understand how the AI weighed various components of the sample to make its final determination 124.

Potential Applications

The electronic tongue's capabilities extend beyond basic taste detection:

  1. Food safety and production
  2. Medical diagnostics
  3. Quality control in various industries
  4. Authenticity verification of products
  5. Freshness assessment of perishables 1235

Advantages and Future Prospects

The robustness of the sensors provides a path for broad deployment across different industries. Importantly, the sensors don't need to be precisely identical, as the machine learning algorithms can process all information collectively to produce accurate results. This makes the manufacturing process more practical and cost-effective 45.

As Professor Das notes, "The tongue's capabilities are limited only by the data on which it is trained," suggesting vast potential for future applications in various fields 45.

Explore today's top stories

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Agent: A New Era of AI-Powered Task Automation

OpenAI introduces ChatGPT Agent, a powerful AI assistant capable of performing complex tasks across multiple platforms, marking a significant advancement in agentic AI technology.

Ars Technica logoTechCrunch logoWired logo

46 Sources

Technology

23 hrs ago

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Agent: A New Era of AI-Powered Task

TSMC Reports Record Profits Amid Surging AI Chip Demand, Raises 2025 Outlook

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) posts record-breaking quarterly profits, driven by strong demand for AI chips. The company raises its 2025 revenue growth forecast to 30%, signaling continued momentum in the AI sector.

Reuters logoQuartz logoSiliconANGLE logo

9 Sources

Technology

23 hrs ago

TSMC Reports Record Profits Amid Surging AI Chip Demand,

Slack Unveils AI-Powered Features to Enhance Workplace Productivity and Communication

Slack introduces a suite of AI-driven tools to improve search, summarization, and communication within its platform, aiming to streamline workplace collaboration and compete with other tech giants in the enterprise productivity space.

TechCrunch logoThe Verge logoZDNet logo

10 Sources

Technology

23 hrs ago

Slack Unveils AI-Powered Features to Enhance Workplace

Netflix Pioneers Use of Generative AI in TV Production, Sparking Efficiency and Controversy

Netflix has incorporated generative AI-powered visual effects in its Argentine sci-fi series "El Eternauta," marking a significant shift in TV production. While praised for efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the move raises concerns about AI's impact on the entertainment industry.

TechCrunch logoReuters logoBBC logo

10 Sources

Technology

8 hrs ago

Netflix Pioneers Use of Generative AI in TV Production,

Google Enhances AI Mode in Search with Gemini 2.5 Pro, Deep Search, and AI Calling Features

Google introduces advanced AI capabilities to Search, including Gemini 2.5 Pro integration, Deep Search for comprehensive research, and an AI agent for business inquiries.

Google Blog logoNDTV Gadgets 360 logoFoneArena logo

3 Sources

Technology

1 day ago

Google Enhances AI Mode in Search with Gemini 2.5 Pro, Deep
TheOutpost.ai

Your Daily Dose of Curated AI News

Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Spend less time searching for the latest in AI and get straight to action.

© 2025 Triveous Technologies Private Limited
Instagram logo
LinkedIn logo