Professor MIYASHITA holding the Electric Salt Spoon and the 21Bi-Bar at the demonstration booth.
Professor MIYASHITA Homei of the Department of Frontier Media Science, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences, received the World OMOSIROI Award 12th. organized by Knowledge Capital Association.
This award defines the emotional thrill of unknown discoveries and encounters as OMOSIROI and honors individuals who make the future interesting. For this 12th edition, five recipients, including Professor MIYASHITA, were selected from approximately 100 candidates across 15 countries.
Scene at the venue
Professor MIYASHITA was recognized as “a pioneer of taste media who is redefining conventional wisdom about food” for his research on taste media that records, edits, and reproduces taste in a manner similar to audiovisual media. In addition to Professor MIYASHITA, TSUCHIYA Naotsugu (Professor, Monash University, Australia), HASEGAWA Ai (artist and Associate Professor, Keio University), Rebecca MERLIC (Austria, digital artist, architect, experimental film director), and Anne McKinnon (United Kingdom, Ristband CEO) received the award.
The award ceremony was held on February 21 at the Knowledge Theater in Osaka Prefecture. In his speech, Professor MIYASHITA stated, “I want to realize, through tasty media, a form of food-related happiness and a sustainable future in which each person can eat as much as they like of what they like without worrying about health issues or allergies, yet still remain healthy.”
Background for the award
Professor MIYASHITA has proposed the concept of tasty media and has led its research and social implementation. In 2025, he published a paper titled “Reconstructing Food Through the Medialization of Taste, Smell, and Nutrition” and presented the vision “ultimate seasoning home appliance” for the 22nd century[1]. He is also actively promoting social implementation, including taste-sharing technology with NTT DOCOMO, INC.[2]; the Electric Salt Spoon tableware, developed in joint research with Kirin Holdings Company, Limited, which enhances the taste of reduced-salt foods using electrical stimulation[3]; and 21Bi-Bar developed with Hokuriku Confectionery, Ltd.[4]. In the 2025 book he published, Frontier Thinking: Embracing Challenges from Age 13 — A book to develop the ability to solve problems written by an Ig Nobel Prize?winning author[5], he introduces ways of thinking that serve as the driving force of creativity, amplifying joy and curiosity.
Attempt to conduct Tele-eat through remote demonstration
Professor MIYASHITA participated in the award ceremony remotely using the telepresence robot Beam. At the demonstration booth, in addition to exhibits of the Electric Salt Spoon and the 21Bi-Bar, taste-sampling demonstrations were also conducted. As part of an initiative to embody the concept of Tele-eat, which delivers taste experiences to distant locations, he presented a next-generation media experience.
The award ceremony was held on February 21 at the Knowledge Theater in Osaka Prefecture. In his speech, Professor MIYASHITA stated, “I want to realize, through tasty media, a form of food-related happiness and a sustainable future in which each person can eat as much as they like of what they like without worrying about health issues or allergies, yet still remain healthy.”
Background for the award
Professor MIYASHITA has proposed the concept of tasty media and has led its research and social implementation. In 2025, he published a paper titled “Reconstructing Food Through the Medialization of Taste, Smell, and Nutrition” and presented the vision “ultimate seasoning home appliance” for the 22nd century[1]. He is also actively promoting social implementation, including taste-sharing technology with NTT DOCOMO, INC.[2]; the Electric Salt Spoon tableware, developed in joint research with Kirin Holdings Company, Limited, which enhances the taste of reduced-salt foods using electrical stimulation[3]; and 21Bi-Bar developed with Hokuriku Confectionery, Ltd.[4]. In the 2025 book he published, Frontier Thinking: Embracing Challenges from Age 13 — A book to develop the ability to solve problems written by an Ig Nobel Prize?winning author[5], he introduces ways of thinking that serve as the driving force of creativity, amplifying joy and curiosity.
Attempt to conduct Tele-eat through remote demonstration
Professor MIYASHITA participated in the award ceremony remotely using the telepresence robot Beam. At the demonstration booth, in addition to exhibits of the Electric Salt Spoon and the 21Bi-Bar, taste-sampling demonstrations were also conducted. As part of an initiative to embody the concept of Tele-eat, which delivers taste experiences to distant locations, he presented a next-generation media experience.
Scene at the speech
①Reconstructing Food Through the Medialization of Taste, Smell, and Nutrition (Miyashita Laboratory official website)
②[Press Release] World's First Technology that Utilizes Human-Augmentation Platform for Sharing Taste Perceptions Between People ～Collaborative research with Miyashita Laboratory of the School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences at 黑料社区, NTT DOCOMO, INC., and H2L Inc.
③Electric Salt Spoon, a tableware that enhances the taste of low-salt food through electric taste technology is released: Technology developed through joint research between MIYASHITA Laboratory and Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is used on the product
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④[School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences] Prof. MIYASHITA receives the Dialogue Presentation Award at WISS 2025
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⑤[Media Coverage] Professor MIYASHITA Homei was featured on NHK WORLD-Japan, in the Science and Nature program “Laugh Then Think: Japan’s Offbeat Science — Stun Your Tastebuds”