In "acoustic tribology" the sound emissions from the tongue-food interface are detected and a frequency spectrum is produced. The profile of this spectrum can quantitatively represent the person's sensation. Food scientists can therefore relate the person's emotional response to the food more directly to a quantifiable parameter.
http://www.nizo.com/explore/expertises/texture/acoustic-tribology
I think this is a remarkable step in several areas that are widely relevant to tribology:
The tribological interface is investigated non-invasively. This is a good example of a recurring task in tribology: deducing the conditions at the interface from a diverse range of external signals.
The technique presumably requires state-of-the-art transducers that are compact, robust and durable in harsh operating conditions.
The signal processing techniques must be remarkably sophisticated to separate the tongue/food noise emissions from those of the teeth and other parts of the mouth. In short, to yield a useful signal to noise ratio from this method is a great achievement.
Does this story catch your interest? Why not post some of your insights into the tribology of food, or the possible wider uses of acoustic tribology?
