Virtual reality (VR) can, in its own imperfect ways, transport a user into distant experiences. One thing VR can’t yet do, however, is simulate the experience of eating lunch. But that could change thanks to a new “bio-integrated gustatory interface” device called e-Taste.

Researchers from Ohio State University created a small electromagnetic pump connected to a liquid channel of chemicals that, when mixed in the right ratios, can approximate the taste of coffee, lemonade, cake, and other food and drinks. That newly crafted chemical liquid is then pushed through via a gel. Users ultimately experience the taste as a liquid that sits in their mouth. And while an initial group of human test subjects struggled to accurately differentiate between different taste profiles, the study suggests a future VR steakhouse experience might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

The researchers tested their new device on 10 volunteers and received mixed results. On the positive side, the test subjects were able to differentiate between various sour taste profile intensities with approximately 70 percent accuracy. The tests were less conclusive though when researchers asked participants to distinguish between flavors intended to represent cake, fried egg, coffee, and fish soup. That discrepancy is not necessarily due entirely to poor device performance, though. Even in the physical world, taste is inherently subjective. Factors such as smell, memory, and visual cues can influence how we perceive food. Two people might experience the taste of the same meal slightly differently. “Taste and smell are greatly related to human emotion and memory,” added one of the researchers. “So our sensor has to learn to capture, control, and store all that information.”

The e-Taste researchers believe their device could also have applications beyond video games. Theoretically, the technology could one day allow users to virtually taste-test items before ordering them. Medical professionals might also use the device to remotely assess whether patients have lost certain aspects of taste, which could be an early indicator of illness. Additionally, the device could serve as an aid in reintroducing taste sensations to individuals with certain neurological disorders or illnesses, such as long COVID, that have impaired their ability to taste food.

According to text CG2A1-II, judge the item that follow.

Virtual reality (VR) can, in its own imperfect ways, transport a user into distant experiences. One thing VR can’t yet do, however, is simulate the experience of eating lunch. But that could change thanks to a new “bio-integrated gustatory interface” device called e-Taste.

Researchers from Ohio State University created a small electromagnetic pump connected to a liquid channel of chemicals that, when mixed in the right ratios, can approximate the taste of coffee, lemonade, cake, and other food and drinks. That newly crafted chemical liquid is then pushed through via a gel. Users ultimately experience the taste as a liquid that sits in their mouth. And while an initial group of human test subjects struggled to accurately differentiate between different taste profiles, the study suggests a future VR steakhouse experience might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

The researchers tested their new device on 10 volunteers and received mixed results. On the positive side, the test subjects were able to differentiate between various sour taste profile intensities with approximately 70 percent accuracy. The tests were less conclusive though when researchers asked participants to distinguish between flavors intended to represent cake, fried egg, coffee, and fish soup. That discrepancy is not necessarily due entirely to poor device performance, though. Even in the physical world, taste is inherently subjective. Factors such as smell, memory, and visual cues can influence how we perceive food. Two people might experience the taste of the same meal slightly differently. “Taste and smell are greatly related to human emotion and memory,” added one of the researchers. “So our sensor has to learn to capture, control, and store all that information.”

The e-Taste researchers believe their device could also have applications beyond video games. Theoretically, the technology could one day allow users to virtually taste-test items before ordering them. Medical professionals might also use the device to remotely assess whether patients have lost certain aspects of taste, which could be an early indicator of illness. Additionally, the device could serve as an aid in reintroducing taste sensations to individuals with certain neurological disorders or illnesses, such as long COVID, that have impaired their ability to taste food.

According to text CG2A1-II, judge the item that follow.

Industry, government and law enforcement agencies are in race to keep up with the vast cybercrime ecosystem, experts say, as cybercriminals and malicious actors increasingly exploit the digital economy. “The global law enforcement community is struggling with the sheer volume of cyber-related crimes,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, said during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos. “The crime statistics only go in one direction, which is up.”

Cybercrime rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, large and sophisticated cybercrimes continue to be deployed today. They are also becoming more expensive for the targeted companies and organizations. The average global cost of a data breach reached US$ 4.45 million last year, according to the latest research, the highest level ever recorded.

In Davos, experts maintain that so-called security by design is key to bolstering cyber resilience. The concept of security by design entails building cybersecurity protocols into software and hardware products from the earliest development stage. This approach allows safeguards to be embedded at each state of operation and limits the chances of cybersecurity vulnerabilities emerging as products develop and are put into use. “It has become an imperative for the digital public infrastructure,” Debjani Ghosh, President of Indian technology non-profit NASSCOM, said of security by design.

The international community needs to “start thinking about the processes we can put in place to make sure that we can support each other and defend each other’s public infrastructures,” Sadie Creese, a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Oxford, said in Davos.

Internet: <weforum.org> (adapted).

Based on text CG2A1-I, judge the following item.

Industry, government and law enforcement agencies are in race to keep up with the vast cybercrime ecosystem, experts say, as cybercriminals and malicious actors increasingly exploit the digital economy. “The global law enforcement community is struggling with the sheer volume of cyber-related crimes,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, said during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos. “The crime statistics only go in one direction, which is up.”

Cybercrime rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, large and sophisticated cybercrimes continue to be deployed today. They are also becoming more expensive for the targeted companies and organizations. The average global cost of a data breach reached US$ 4.45 million last year, according to the latest research, the highest level ever recorded.

In Davos, experts maintain that so-called security by design is key to bolstering cyber resilience. The concept of security by design entails building cybersecurity protocols into software and hardware products from the earliest development stage. This approach allows safeguards to be embedded at each state of operation and limits the chances of cybersecurity vulnerabilities emerging as products develop and are put into use. “It has become an imperative for the digital public infrastructure,” Debjani Ghosh, President of Indian technology non-profit NASSCOM, said of security by design.

The international community needs to “start thinking about the processes we can put in place to make sure that we can support each other and defend each other’s public infrastructures,” Sadie Creese, a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Oxford, said in Davos.

Internet: <weforum.org> (adapted).

Based on text CG2A1-I, judge the following item.

Industry, government and law enforcement agencies are in race to keep up with the vast cybercrime ecosystem, experts say, as cybercriminals and malicious actors increasingly exploit the digital economy. “The global law enforcement community is struggling with the sheer volume of cyber-related crimes,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, said during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos. “The crime statistics only go in one direction, which is up.”

Cybercrime rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, large and sophisticated cybercrimes continue to be deployed today. They are also becoming more expensive for the targeted companies and organizations. The average global cost of a data breach reached US$ 4.45 million last year, according to the latest research, the highest level ever recorded.

In Davos, experts maintain that so-called security by design is key to bolstering cyber resilience. The concept of security by design entails building cybersecurity protocols into software and hardware products from the earliest development stage. This approach allows safeguards to be embedded at each state of operation and limits the chances of cybersecurity vulnerabilities emerging as products develop and are put into use. “It has become an imperative for the digital public infrastructure,” Debjani Ghosh, President of Indian technology non-profit NASSCOM, said of security by design.

The international community needs to “start thinking about the processes we can put in place to make sure that we can support each other and defend each other’s public infrastructures,” Sadie Creese, a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Oxford, said in Davos.

Internet: <weforum.org> (adapted).

Based on text CG2A1-I, judge the following item.

Industry, government and law enforcement agencies are in race to keep up with the vast cybercrime ecosystem, experts say, as cybercriminals and malicious actors increasingly exploit the digital economy. “The global law enforcement community is struggling with the sheer volume of cyber-related crimes,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, said during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos. “The crime statistics only go in one direction, which is up.”

Cybercrime rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, large and sophisticated cybercrimes continue to be deployed today. They are also becoming more expensive for the targeted companies and organizations. The average global cost of a data breach reached US$ 4.45 million last year, according to the latest research, the highest level ever recorded.

In Davos, experts maintain that so-called security by design is key to bolstering cyber resilience. The concept of security by design entails building cybersecurity protocols into software and hardware products from the earliest development stage. This approach allows safeguards to be embedded at each state of operation and limits the chances of cybersecurity vulnerabilities emerging as products develop and are put into use. “It has become an imperative for the digital public infrastructure,” Debjani Ghosh, President of Indian technology non-profit NASSCOM, said of security by design.

The international community needs to “start thinking about the processes we can put in place to make sure that we can support each other and defend each other’s public infrastructures,” Sadie Creese, a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Oxford, said in Davos.

Internet: <weforum.org> (adapted).

Based on text CG2A1-I, judge the following item.

Industry, government and law enforcement agencies are in race to keep up with the vast cybercrime ecosystem, experts say, as cybercriminals and malicious actors increasingly exploit the digital economy. “The global law enforcement community is struggling with the sheer volume of cyber-related crimes,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, said during the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Davos. “The crime statistics only go in one direction, which is up.”

Cybercrime rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, large and sophisticated cybercrimes continue to be deployed today. They are also becoming more expensive for the targeted companies and organizations. The average global cost of a data breach reached US$ 4.45 million last year, according to the latest research, the highest level ever recorded.

In Davos, experts maintain that so-called security by design is key to bolstering cyber resilience. The concept of security by design entails building cybersecurity protocols into software and hardware products from the earliest development stage. This approach allows safeguards to be embedded at each state of operation and limits the chances of cybersecurity vulnerabilities emerging as products develop and are put into use. “It has become an imperative for the digital public infrastructure,” Debjani Ghosh, President of Indian technology non-profit NASSCOM, said of security by design.

The international community needs to “start thinking about the processes we can put in place to make sure that we can support each other and defend each other’s public infrastructures,” Sadie Creese, a Professor of Cybersecurity at the University of Oxford, said in Davos.

Internet: <weforum.org> (adapted).

Based on text CG2A1-I, judge the following item.

Desde que não seja um satélite natural, como a Lua, um corpo celeste do sistema solar merece o status de planeta apenas se obedecer a três condições: estar em órbita em torno do Sol; ter massa suficiente para que sua gravidade o leve a apresentar uma forma quase redonda; e ter a vizinhança de sua órbita livre de objetos significativos que possam entrar no seu caminho. Foi com esse trio de regras objetivas que a União Astronômica Internacional (IAU) aposentou, em 26/8/2006, o conceito antigo e vago de planeta, associado à ideia de um corpo errante e luminoso que podia ser visto no céu.

Os oito primeiros planetas do sistema solar (Mercúrio, Vênus, Terra, Marte, Júpiter, Saturno, Urano e Netuno) se encaixavam na nova caracterização. O então ainda considerado nono planeta, o caçulinha da turma, descoberto apenas em 1930, não. “Plutão é um ‘planeta anão’ segundo a definição acima e é reconhecido como o protótipo de uma nova categoria de objetos transnetunianos [situados depois de Netuno]”, escreveu a direção da IAU na resolução B6, divulgada naquela data.

No mesmo documento, a entidade determina que um planeta anão, além de não ser um satélite, deve obedecer às duas primeiras condições impostas aos planetas, mas não é necessário que sua órbita seja livre de outros corpos celestes.

As decisões da resolução resguardaram o conceito de planeta dentro do sistema solar para apenas oito objetos conhecidos. Se a mudança não tivesse sido adotada, outros objetos do cinturão de Kuiper, muito parecidos com Plutão, também teriam de ser considerados planetas. Descoberto em 2005, o objeto transnetuniano denominado Éris era um desses casos. Com massa maior que a de Plutão, chegou a ser anunciado como um novo planeta — até que a resolução da IAU barrou sua entrada no clube planetário, expulsou Plutão da turma e reduziu seus membros a oito.

Marcos Pivetta. Na órbita do Planeta 9. In: Revista Pesquisa FAPESP, n.º 351, maio/2025.

Internet: <https://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br> (com adaptações).

Desde que não seja um satélite natural, como a Lua, um corpo celeste do sistema solar merece o status de planeta apenas se obedecer a três condições: estar em órbita em torno do Sol; ter massa suficiente para que sua gravidade o leve a apresentar uma forma quase redonda; e ter a vizinhança de sua órbita livre de objetos significativos que possam entrar no seu caminho. Foi com esse trio de regras objetivas que a União Astronômica Internacional (IAU) aposentou, em 26/8/2006, o conceito antigo e vago de planeta, associado à ideia de um corpo errante e luminoso que podia ser visto no céu.

Os oito primeiros planetas do sistema solar (Mercúrio, Vênus, Terra, Marte, Júpiter, Saturno, Urano e Netuno) se encaixavam na nova caracterização. O então ainda considerado nono planeta, o caçulinha da turma, descoberto apenas em 1930, não. “Plutão é um ‘planeta anão’ segundo a definição acima e é reconhecido como o protótipo de uma nova categoria de objetos transnetunianos [situados depois de Netuno]”, escreveu a direção da IAU na resolução B6, divulgada naquela data.

No mesmo documento, a entidade determina que um planeta anão, além de não ser um satélite, deve obedecer às duas primeiras condições impostas aos planetas, mas não é necessário que sua órbita seja livre de outros corpos celestes.

As decisões da resolução resguardaram o conceito de planeta dentro do sistema solar para apenas oito objetos conhecidos. Se a mudança não tivesse sido adotada, outros objetos do cinturão de Kuiper, muito parecidos com Plutão, também teriam de ser considerados planetas. Descoberto em 2005, o objeto transnetuniano denominado Éris era um desses casos. Com massa maior que a de Plutão, chegou a ser anunciado como um novo planeta — até que a resolução da IAU barrou sua entrada no clube planetário, expulsou Plutão da turma e reduziu seus membros a oito.

Marcos Pivetta. Na órbita do Planeta 9. In: Revista Pesquisa FAPESP, n.º 351, maio/2025.

Internet: <https://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br> (com adaptações).

Desde que não seja um satélite natural, como a Lua, um corpo celeste do sistema solar merece o status de planeta apenas se obedecer a três condições: estar em órbita em torno do Sol; ter massa suficiente para que sua gravidade o leve a apresentar uma forma quase redonda; e ter a vizinhança de sua órbita livre de objetos significativos que possam entrar no seu caminho. Foi com esse trio de regras objetivas que a União Astronômica Internacional (IAU) aposentou, em 26/8/2006, o conceito antigo e vago de planeta, associado à ideia de um corpo errante e luminoso que podia ser visto no céu.

Os oito primeiros planetas do sistema solar (Mercúrio, Vênus, Terra, Marte, Júpiter, Saturno, Urano e Netuno) se encaixavam na nova caracterização. O então ainda considerado nono planeta, o caçulinha da turma, descoberto apenas em 1930, não. “Plutão é um ‘planeta anão’ segundo a definição acima e é reconhecido como o protótipo de uma nova categoria de objetos transnetunianos [situados depois de Netuno]”, escreveu a direção da IAU na resolução B6, divulgada naquela data.

No mesmo documento, a entidade determina que um planeta anão, além de não ser um satélite, deve obedecer às duas primeiras condições impostas aos planetas, mas não é necessário que sua órbita seja livre de outros corpos celestes.

As decisões da resolução resguardaram o conceito de planeta dentro do sistema solar para apenas oito objetos conhecidos. Se a mudança não tivesse sido adotada, outros objetos do cinturão de Kuiper, muito parecidos com Plutão, também teriam de ser considerados planetas. Descoberto em 2005, o objeto transnetuniano denominado Éris era um desses casos. Com massa maior que a de Plutão, chegou a ser anunciado como um novo planeta — até que a resolução da IAU barrou sua entrada no clube planetário, expulsou Plutão da turma e reduziu seus membros a oito.

Marcos Pivetta. Na órbita do Planeta 9. In: Revista Pesquisa FAPESP, n.º 351, maio/2025.

Internet: <https://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br> (com adaptações).