ThermoTumbler: A Tumbler-type Device that Changes Flavor Perception by Controlling Temperature to the Lower Lip

We propose ThermoTumbler that realizes affects the user’s flavor perception, including "in-mouth aroma," "aftertaste," "intensity of taste," "throat feeling," "deliciousness," "comfortable," "sweetness," "saltiness," "sourness," "bitterness," and "umami," by presenting temperature around the lower lip without altering the beverage. The ThermoTumbler utilizes Peltier devices and heat pipes to precisely regulate the temperature at the drinking spout within the range of 0 to 65 ° C, ensuring that it presents a specific temperature to the user’s lower lip. We investigated the changes in flavor perception resulting from temperature to the lower lip using the ThermoTumbler. The evaluation experiment’s results showed that participants’ perceptions of the beverage’s "temperature," "throat feeling," "deliciousness," and "comfortable" varied according to the temperature cues presented at the drinking spout. In addition, it was shown that temperature stimulation on the lower lip can accentuate a beverage’s five basic tastes.