05-07-2017, 11:30 AM
The electronic language is an instrument that measures and compares tastes. The chemical components responsible for taste are detected by the receptors of human taste, and the seven sensors of the electronic instruments detect the same dissolved organic and inorganic compounds. Like human receptors, each sensor has a spectrum of reactions different from the other. The information given by each sensor is complementary and the combination of all sensor results generates a unique fingerprint. Most sensor detection thresholds are similar to or better than those of human receivers.
In the biological mechanism, taste signals are transduced by the nerves of the brain into electrical signals. The process of the tab sensors in E is similar: they generate electrical signals as potentiometric variations. The perception and recognition of taste quality is based on the construction or recognition of sensory nerves patterns activated by the brain and on the fingerprint of the product's taste. This step is achieved by the statistical software of the electronic language that interprets the sensor data in taste patterns. A variation was developed by Professor Fredrik Winquist of the University of Linköping, Sweden.
Liquid samples are analyzed directly without any preparation, while solids require preliminary dissolution prior to measurement. The reference electrode and the sensors are immersed in a beaker containing a test solution. A voltage is applied between each sensor and a reference electrode, and a measurable current response is obtained which is consistent with the Cottrell equation. This current response is the result of oxidizing reactions occurring in the solution due to the voltage difference, and can be amplified by catalytic surface treatments. The answer is measured and recorded by the e-language software. These data represent the input for the mathematical treatment that will give results.