You might not have thought that the spoon needed reinventing. Innovators in Japan, however, are convinced that a hi-tech spoon can help us eat more healthily – by stopping us from wanting to reach for the soy sauce or salt shaker.
A spoon from Japanese company Kirin uses a light electronic current to make food taste saltier than it actually is, making users satisfied with less salt.
The technology behind the reinvented spoon relies on a weak electric current that brings sodium ions to the tongue, where they become concentrated and more noticeable.
Kirin showed the spoon at the annual CES technology event hosted by the Consumer Technology Association in Las Vegas, Nevada, in early January. Kirin says that it works best with liquids like soups and sauces.