Scientists develop artificial mouth to study complexities of chewing, digesting

Sure, we've seen a set of robotic chompers before, but a team of scientists led by one Gaëlle Arvisenet is taking artificial mouths to a new plateau. In a study set to be released in next week's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers report on the "design of an artificial mouth that mimics the first vital steps of human digestion -- chewing, saliva release and the initial breakdown of food." In order to ensure accuracy in the mechanical chewer, the gurus actually compared masticated apple pulp from human mouths as well as the robotic version; they reportedly scrutinized texture, color and aromatic compound release. Great, as if we really need our next humanoid servant to start begging for eats.

[Via The Register]

[LJKelley @ May 9th 2008 5:01PM]

I know this comment will get deleted (as does any comment about Gizmodo being better). But I saw this a week or so ago on that site and I don't really care to much about that (since both sites have articles about subjects that may not apear on the other) but the fact is the picture was in COLOUR.

[anon @ May 9th 2008 5:06PM]

I'm sure when you said a week, you meant 2 days, right? Same thing...

[Low Ranked @ May 9th 2008 6:22PM]

Anon is right it was posted Wednesday, two days ago.

http://gizmodo.com/388063/robot-mouth-because-chewing-is-for-luddites

[REDbULL @ May 9th 2008 10:50PM]

well, good for gizmodo. Maybe you should read ONLY gizmodo because they seem to get everything before engadget. but honestly, I don't care, Simply for the fact that I don't read gizmodo. The comments there are childish and asinine and I really do not like their writing style.

Now, go back to your precious gizmodo and stop with the annoying "OMG HAD THIS STORY LIKE 50 YEARS AGO OMG YOU ARE SLOW!"

Just because some other site had this story on it, does not mean everyone reads that other site.

[Shane @ May 10th 2008 7:04AM]

Wait...You guys actually read Gizmodo?

[BowserUSC @ May 9th 2008 5:04PM]

Whats the helium for? to make the teeth talk funny

[Matthew @ May 9th 2008 5:05PM]

why, those teeth will never get through the apples and saliva!!

[Jasper @ May 9th 2008 5:07PM]

When I ordered a mouthbot, this wasn't what I had in mind...

[Esat Dedezade @ May 9th 2008 5:09PM]

With teeth like that I hope you didn't realise your mistake until after you used it!

[Matthew @ May 9th 2008 5:11PM]

yeah, you ordered a helium-powered applejuicer by accident

[Zak @ May 9th 2008 5:36PM]

Are they nuclear powered?

Oh no! They've tasted blood! Run!

[SFO Kevin @ May 9th 2008 5:38PM]

That would give one nasty blow job...

[Low Ranked @ May 9th 2008 6:24PM]

But a hell of a Rim Job!

[Vidikron (FU) @ May 9th 2008 5:41PM]

Wow... they modeled my mouth perfectly!

[Michael @ May 9th 2008 5:49PM]

I wonder how satisfying it would be to masticate with an artificial mouth?

[Taylor @ May 9th 2008 5:52PM]

Mmmmm.... I love to masticate. In fact, i'm at work masticating right now.
MMmmm... Mastication....
-Taylor

[Chris @ May 9th 2008 6:18PM]

Saliva is a gross word.

[Low Ranked @ May 9th 2008 6:23PM]

I'm thinking a Russian mail-order bride would be cheaper than this torture device.

[Low Ranked @ May 9th 2008 6:23PM]

Thats why a shitty band picked it for their name.

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 9th 2008 7:25PM]

well thats both digusting and useless

[McFly @ May 9th 2008 10:39PM]

exactly, and i think we tend to use the term "robot" far too sparingly.
I can build the exact same thing with a jar, a cordless drill, a hole-saw and some garden hose. What a waste of tax payers money.

[grjohnston @ May 12th 2008 10:39AM]

@ McFly:

That's not what makes this not a robot. What makes this not a robot is the fact that it doesn't have any sort of control of its actions. It's robotic in that it's automated, but it's not a robot. What you would make would be just as much of one, just homemade.

[carbonrain @ May 9th 2008 7:56PM]

you bet yer buttons it plays doom

[ibet @ May 9th 2008 8:58PM]

Ok, so it chews...but...will it blend?

I want to stick the blendtec inside the robot masticator. replace the helium with nitrous and just sit back with the tank and enjoy the show.

[GhostDoggy @ May 11th 2008 8:44AM]

We could test with prisoners, politicians, and some others, right? I think we'd need to test a couple of million to start with. All in favor vote accordingly.

[Laughing Man @ May 11th 2008 4:58PM]

If we were to take all the money that we use to study dumb shit like this. We could fix national debt in like 3 years. I mean seriously, what is to be gained from this? What human affliction will this help solve? I have no problem studying disease, viruses, etc. but chewing?

I will bet money to study chewing cost some company and/or tax payers MILLIONS.