A matter of taste: Electronic tongue reveals AI inner thoughts

Illustration of electronic tongue research

By Ashley WennersHerron

A recently developed electronic tongue is capable of identifying differences in similar liquids, such as milk with varying water content; diverse products, including soda types and coffee blends; signs of spoilage in fruit juices; and instances of food safety concerns. The team, led by researchers at Penn State, also found that results were even more accurate when artificial intelligence (AI) used its own assessment parameters to interpret the data generated by the electronic tongue.

Seeing like a butterfly: Optical invention enhances camera capabilities

Two men holding a camera sensor

Butterflies can see more of the world than humans, including more colors and the field oscillation direction, or polarization, of light. This special ability enables them to navigate with precision, forage for food and communicate with one another. Other species, like the mantis shrimp, can sense an even wider spectrum of light, as well as the circular polarization, or spinning states, of light waves. They use this capability to signal a “love code,” which helps them find and be discovered by mates.

Yinming Shao

Yinming Shao

Assistant Professor of Physics

(e) ymshao@psu.edu
341 Davey Laboratory 

https://sites.google.com/view/yinming-shao