Researchers in Japan have designed a robot with taste. 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 to determine the object’s chemical composition. When it has identified a wine, the robot 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 with it. http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/story/0,,1864338,00.html