Virtual reality 'Vocktails' coming to London at the Future Tech Now show

A device can trick a person into tasting a cocktail in a glass of water in a heady brew of virtual reality technology.

The Vocktail, which is shaped like a martini glass, hijacks a person’s senses of taste and smell to give any liquid a range of flavours — although creating an alcoholic cocktail still requires the key ingredient as a base.

The device works by conducting electrical currents through metal strips on the glass rim. These stimulate flavours when touched by the tongue, at 180 microamps for sour, 40 microamps for salty and 80 microamps for bitter.

Three scented gas cartridges and air pumps in the base of the glass puff out corresponding odours that “change the drinker’s perception of the flavour”, such as a fruity scent for wine. The glass also changes colour to further toy with the senses: blue signals saltiness and green sourness.

Londoners can try the device at the three-day Future Tech Now show at Upper Street’s Business Design Centre, starting on April 5.

Dr Nimesha Ranasinghe, 35, who created it at the National University of Singapore, said: “You can use real alcohol and augment the flavours, or just use water and totally change the perception of what you are drinking.

“It could also be used at a pub if you wanted your cocktail to taste a little bit more sour or for people who don’t want to drink alcohol.”