Japanese cuisine is generally quite high in sodium. For those who need to cut down on salt in their diets, a pair of electric chopsticks might just be the solution. Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita and beverage maker Kirin Holdings Company have invented computerized chopsticks that intensify flavor without adding salt.

According to Miyashita, the chopsticks enhance tastes through electrical stimulation and a mini-computer worn on a wristband. The device uses a weak electrical current to transmit sodium ions from food, through the chopsticks, to the mouth, making food 1.5 times saltier. Miyashita, in his quest to heighten human senses through technology, previously invented a lickable TV screen that can imitate various food flavors.

Based on a report by World Health Organization, the average Japanese adult consumes about 10 grams of salt per day, twice the recommended amount of intake. “To prevent diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take,” said Kirin researcher Ai Sato. “If we try to avoid taking less salt in a conventional way, we would need to endure the pain of cutting our favorite food from our diet, or endure eating bland food.” Miyashita and Kirin are still making changes to the chopsticks before putting them on the market.