Nissin Developed A Noise Cancelling Fork To Make Slurping Less Annoying

If you’ve been alive since 1958, chances are you’ve probably eaten a Cup Noodles or two in your day. With that said, there’s also a chance you’ve annoyed someone by loudly slurping up every last bite of those delicious instant noodles.

Well, Cup Noodles producers, Nissin, has come up with a high-tech solution to silence the annoyance of the slurp with Otohiko, a noise-cancelling fork, that pairs with your smart phone.

While the sound of slurping is harmless, it makes some people uncomfortable. Yet, there are a few reasons why slurping has become part of noodle consumption. In 2011, Chowhound reported that in Japanese culture, there’s an emotional connection between taste and slurping — as slurping makes it seem eating as more enjoyable, and it’s actually considered to not be rude when done.

What’s even more interesting is that in Japan, the science behind slurping is similar to tasting wine — which helps spread flavor around the mouth.

This noise-cancelling fork was designed by sound designer Shinya Kiyokawa, who explained he wanted to create something that would improve everyone’s noodle eating experience.

“Some people feel that the noodle sipping sound is “delicious,” others feel that it is “not good,” Kiyokawa said. “Although it is said that it is a cultural difference, I think that it is surely a cultural difference.”

Nissin is currently selling the Otohiko on their online store, for approximately $130.00. According to the website, Nissin will begin production on this product once 5,000 reservations have been filled.