Tasting Glass Revealable Indicators for Unbiased Blind Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
In blind product comparison events, such as wine tastings, participants often struggle to identify similar products due to their indistinguishable appearances, making it difficult to conduct unbiased and informative comparisons.
Innovation Solution
A kit and method utilizing glass objects with unique revealable indicators that become visible under specific conditions, such as moisture, allowing participants to associate products with their corresponding glass containers without prior knowledge of the indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional wine tasting methods are used with numbered placemats, then participants can track which wine they are sampling, but participants cannot conduct truly blind comparisons since they know the bottle numbers and can bias their comparisons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from the glass itself and places it on a separate removable placemat. The glass remains plain and neutral for unbiased tasting, while the placemat contains all identification markers (numbers, codes, or blank spaces) that participants can reference without influencing their sensory evaluation of the wine.
Solution Approach 2:
The placemat serves as an intermediary between the participant and the wine bottle identification. Instead of directly linking participants to bottle numbers through visible glass markings, the placemat mediates this connection by providing a separate reference sheet that participants can consult without compromising the blind nature of the glass presentation.
2Ease of operation
If glass objects have visible indicators, then participants can easily identify products, but the comparison becomes biased since participants know what they are comparing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identification system into two separate components: the glass (used for tasting) and the placemat (used for identification). This segmentation allows the glass to remain free of distracting or biasing visual indicators, while the placemat provides all necessary identification information in a separate, non-intrusive location.
Solution Approach 2:
The placemat contains copied or reproduced identification information (numbers, codes, or placeholder markers) that corresponds to the actual wine bottles. This copying allows participants to track which wine they are sampling without the original bottle identifiers being visible on the glass itself, maintaining the integrity of blind comparison.
3Reliability
If no indicators are present on glasses or placemats, then truly blind comparison is achieved, but participants cannot identify or track which products they are comparing
Solution Approach 1:
The placemat acts as an intermediary information carrier that provides product tracking capabilities without interfering with the blind comparison process. Participants can reference the placemat to understand which sample corresponds to which bottle, while the actual tasting glasses remain visually uniform and non-discriminatory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the identification information from the two-dimensional surface of the glass (where it would directly influence tasting) to a separate two-dimensional placemat surface. This dimensional relocation allows participants to access identification information without it being integrated into the sensory experience of tasting, effectively separating the identification function from the evaluation function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables unbiased and informative product comparisons by allowing participants to identify products through the revelation of hidden indicators, enhancing the accuracy and engagement of blind tasting experiences.
Implementation Method 1
The difference between the revealable indicators on each of the glass objects of the kit cannot be determined under the conditions in which the glass objects are used to compare two or more products as described hereinbelow, but is revealable by changing the local conditions of the revealable indicator (e.g., by applying moisture).
Data Source
AI summary
A kit and method of blind comparison utilizing glass objects, each having a unique revealable indicator on the surface of the glass. The revealable indicator is created by a shallow etching into the exterior surface of the tasting glass such that the indicator is substantially invisible to the human eye under normal conditions, but becomes visible when condensation forms on the outer surface of the glass.