Sure, we've seen a set of robotic chompers before, but a team of scientists led by one Gaëlle Arvisenet is taking artificial mouths to a new plateau. In a study set to be released in next week's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers report on the "design of an artificial mouth that mimics the first vital steps of human digestion -- chewing, saliva release and the initial breakdown of food." In order to ensure accuracy in the mechanical chewer, the gurus actually compared masticated apple pulp from human mouths as well as the robotic version; they reportedly scrutinized texture, color and aromatic compound release. Great, as if we really need our next humanoid servant to start begging for eats.[Via The Register