What happens in our brain when we eat or drink ? This is the question to which the Iréalité innovation unit of the University of Nantes, dedicated to the promotion of research and technology transfer, sought an answer.
A helmet that measures the pleasure of the taste buds
A helmet screwed on the head, the wine lover can perceive his emotions live during a wine tasting. Helmet, with two sensors at the forehead and at the ear, is able to instantly transcribe the pleasure experienced "The headphones capture the electricity from the brain “, explains Nantes researcher Francky Trichet who came to promote his creation. " In fact, we rely on the work of neurobiologists. We entered data into software. It is he who translates these electric fields into emotion ".
How does this innovation work ?
The operation of this innovation is quite simple. The headset measures the electrical activity of your brain. These data collected by two sensors are transmitted to a tablet. The application developed allows you to determine your electroencephalography (SEE) — that is, the electrical signal emitted by the brain —.
From these frequencies, the application is able to measure four emotions : excitation, mediation, boredom and frustration. Frequencies can be interpreted as positive or negative to tell whether or not you like what you are drinking.
An individual or collective experience
Headset and tablet app can be used individually, but also collective. A connected table has been developed to accommodate 4 people simultaneously in order to measure each other and share our emotions, which are often intimate and therefore difficult to assess personally.
Developing technology
The neurokiff as seen by the Secretary of State for Digital, Axelle Lemaire : "This Neurokiff is quite kiffant", she told reporters, after tasting. "It combines a very French quality of gastronomy, which is internationally recognized, with another very French quality, which is that of technological avant-garde. "
For the time being, the headset is able to tell you if you like, moderately or dislike what you drink, but this technology is only in its infancy and Francky Trichet believes in its future as "a way out of Parker-style evaluations. We let people express themselves and talk about wine very simply ". Except that for once the evaluation is personal. Who can still believe that Parker is adept at saying what you like to drink and what not? ? This time it's your own brain that will tell you what you like and what you don't ! He hopes to be able to offer his neurokiff to "wine merchants, oenologists, sommeliers or even producers "to organize events. The price will be in a range between 1’000 € and 4’000 € according to the chosen formula.
On the other hand, the price may not make everyone kiff, but the uses are limitless : cinema, perfume, music, publicity - marketing will take over —.
Jean-Nicolas Mouretin
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