Zest
Zest is a wearable accessory for music enthusiasts that transforms movement into taste. By detecting your motions and dance while listening to music, it generates varying electric currents to produce different flavors, enhancing the overall sensory experience. The device consists of two components: a wearable hand piece and a small mouthpiece.
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Zest is a style, an opportunity to understand your musical tastes, and a new way to define and interpret yourself
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Zest lets you create different tastes by waving your hand and dancing to the rhythm. The device detects rotation and acceleration, turning your movements into unique flavor experiences. Perfect for parties and concerts, it lets you dance freely while sharing your new musical sensations with friends.
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Zest uses microcurrents to gently stimulate the taste buds, creating a variety of flavors. This technology, first developed by a Japanese professor, opens up a fresh way to connect taste with sound and movement.
As you dance with the music, Zest turns your motions into triggers that generate different levels of current—and with them, different flavors—transforming how you experience and interact with music.
Instruction
Simply pick up the mouthpiece from the wrist device,
place it on your tongue,
and play any music you like.
Dance, vibe, and enjoy the Zest as different tastes come alive with every beat.
place it on your tongue,
and play any music you like.
Dance, vibe, and enjoy the Zest as different tastes come alive with every beat.
Scenario
Imagine being at a concert with a massive interactive screen that responds to your every move, encouraging you to dance and get fully involved.
At the same time, the mouthpiece gives taste feedback, creating a true feast for the senses.
At the same time, the mouthpiece gives taste feedback, creating a true feast for the senses.
Userbility Test
Around 60 people joined the taste tests, and with those who only tried the motion tests, the total was likely over 100. The results were very positive. Participants experienced a wide range of flavors, including bitter, sour, salty, and even sweet. Some described tasting specific foods like lemon, berries, strawberries, sour candy, or even the fizz of soda. A few people reported especially strong sensations. The photo and the video on the bottom shows how varied everyone’s reactions were.
Sketching
During the design process, I continuously refined the early prototypes and minimized dimensions to accommodate the new sensors and internal components, while drawing inspiration from contemporary smart wearable devices.
Inspired by the concept of lip piercings, the goal is to design multiple shapes that let users personalize their style. Various designs are explored to attach seamlessly to wearable devices, creating a cohesive and integrated look.
Eletronic prototype
I quickly learned to use ESP32, TouchDesigner, and multiple sensors to bring the final prototype to life. Integrating all the electronics while keeping the design compact was a key challenge, but making the device wireless ensured a smooth user experience.
Movement to Visual and Taste
The motion sensors translate movement such as acceleration and rotation into varying levels of microcurrent to create different tastes.
At the same time, TouchDesigner provides real-time visual feedback on the screen, enhancing the overall interaction.
