The ability to discern good wine from bad, name the specific brand from a tiny sip and recommend a complementary cheese would seem to be about as human a skill as there is.

In Japan, robots are doing it.



Researchers at NEC System Technologies and Mie University have designed a robot that can taste an electromechanical sommelier able to identify dozens of different wines, cheeses and hors d'oeuvres.

There are all kinds of robots out there doing many different things, said Hideo Shimazu, director of the NEC System Technology Research Laboratory and a joint-leader of the robot project. But we decided to focus on wine because that seemed like a real challenge.

Last month, they unveiled the fruits of their two-year effort a green-and-white prototype with eyes, a head that swivels and a mouth that lights up whenever the robot talks.
The tasting is done elsewhere, however.

At the end of the robot's left arm is an infrared spectrometer. When objects are placed up against the sensor, the robot fires off a beam of infrared light. The reflected light is then analyzed in real time to determine the object's chemical composition.

All foods have a unique fingerprint, Shimazu said. The robot uses that data to identify what it is inspecting right there on the spot.

When it has identified a wine, the robot speaks up in a childlike voice. It names the brand and adds a comment or two on the taste, such as whether it is a buttery chardonnay or a full-bodied shiraz, and what kind of foods might go well on the side

Of the thousands of wines on the market, the robot can be programmed to accurately identify only a few dozen at most. It also has more trouble with the task after the bottle has been opened and the wine begins to breathe and thus transform chemically


What will Japanese researchers come up with next? They seem to be developing robots all the time. At the cost of buying a new car, is it really worth it just to know what you're drinking? MSNBC is asked this same question. Check out the complete article and the survey at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14610793/)