Guy Dupont Takes Skeuomorphism a Little Too Far, Builds a Simulated Tongue for 9V Battery Testing

Maker Guy Dupont has taken the concept of skeuomorphism to its arguably illogical conclusion, designing a tester for 9V batteries that replicates the classic tingly-tongue test — with a synthetic tongue of its very own.

"Tired of using your own tongue to test 9V batteries," Dupont asks in support of his latest, somewhat unusual yet undeniably useful, electronic creation. "Ouch! Honored and humbled to announce my latest product," and what that "product" is will take a little explaining.

The "tingly test" is a classic way to check a 9V battery, which has the positive and negative terminals side-by-side on the top side, for remaining charge: push the terminals against your tongue. The wet surface of your tongue completes the circuit, and if there's charge in the battery you'll feel anything from a gentle tingle to a surprising zap depending on exactly how much power is left. If the battery's dead, you'll feel nothing.

Skeuomorphism, meanwhile, is the sadly somewhat-abandoned design practice in which modernized items are created with nods back to their antecedents — seen in everything from molded plastic items that mimic rivets and screws to classic computer organizer software which mimics a paper Filofax, complete with pages that can be "ripped out" and thrown into a waste basket.

In Dupont's case, the skeuomorphic design of the battery tester is obvious to see: it's a tongue, complete with lips and teeth. Embedded within the rubber simulacrum are a pair of sewing needles, which are wired directly into a vibration motor upcycled from a dead Microsoft Xbox 360 controller. When the battery completes the circuit, it throws 9V into the motor — and the "tongue" will wiggle in an apparent response to the "tingly test."

More information on the project, including responses ranging from the fascinated to the disgusted, can be found in Dupont's Mastodon thread.