Straw-like User Interface (SUI)

Straw-like User Interface (SUI) is an evolutionary interface system that allows us to virtually experience the sensations of drinking. These sensations are created based on referencing sample data of actual pressure, vibration and sound produced by drinking from an ordinary straw attached to the system.

The virtual drinking sensations accomplished by SUI are obtained by exerting pressure and vibration change to our mouth thru the control of valve and speaker.

'Pressure control'
The valves control the opening and closing of the solenoid motor and thus controlling pressure change in the SUI system. Moreover, the transmission part of a small servomotor was installed with an oval-shape sheet to push the valve to make a slight space that makes pressure change more smoothly.

'Vibration'
A straw is adhered to the speaker that gives out sound vibration based on sampled sound data and thus produced appropriate vibration at the straw.

'Food data'
In order to reproduce accurate virtual drinking sensations, we first drank various food tastes by straw and recorded necessary data. We then used it for the operation of SUI so it becomes possible for acquiring high accuracy in the reality of virtual drinking sensations.