Food via an SMS

As I have mentioned several times before, I absolutely love my mother's cooking ! Now that its time for me to leave India and go back to the US (on Jan 7th), that is going to be one of the things I will miss the most ... I was speaking to my mother about this the other day and she was telling me that she wished there was a way to SMS food to me !

Now, although at the surface it seems quite ludicrous, I dont think its entirely unrealistic ... With the advent of Virtual Reality technologies, this is going to be possible one day.

If you really think about it, eating is a very sensual experience

• Eyes - Color, presentation, familiarity
• Ears - Sizzle, crunch
• Tongue/Lips - Taste, texture
• Hand - Feel, temperature
• Nose - Smell

If I eat a piece of Chilli Chicken for example, its specific sensual characteristics register in my brain and trigger a series of reactions in my brain, that includes a complex interplay of prior experience, the five senses and my own "personal taste".

Do I HAVE to eat a piece of Chilli Chicken for these emotional responses to be triggered ? Or can they be triggered by bypassing the sensual organs (Eyes, Ears, Tongue, Hand and Nose) and going directly to the brain ?

What is the exact seats of visual, auditory, taste, tactile and olfactory senses in the brain are identified and wired ? Would precise amounts of electrical impulses applied to these spots produce the same response as eating a piece of chicken would ?

If that was possible, would that be the future ? With my mother cooking some chicken, getting that "translated" to sensual variables, transmitting this via an SMS to me, my Virtual Reality set-up using those variables to activate the electrodes ...

The high that comes from eating chicken, without actual ingestion - Would this be the foundation of a perfect diet ?

And maybe smokers and drug addicts could get their kicks without actually abusing substances ?

If this comes through, the importance of logistics/transportation in the world would be reduced drastically - If I wish to eat a Jersey Mikes' sandwich in Chennai, I could order it online and have an "sandwich SMS" sent to me !

And, further global commerce would be modified drastically with ways of production and distribution being changed. Also, there would be a huge market for a "perfect food" - With exactly the right amount of calories/nutrients - It's taste and ability to fill one's stomach would no longer be relevant.

This could be extended to arena's beyond food as well. Travel is one obvious one.

PS: As is evident from this post, I don't think that there is any chance that I will stick to my New Year resolution !