These Plates Wobble and Bounce as You Eat from Them

This all might sound like tableware befitting a circus convention, but they are infact the result of some serious applied science in a research project by Royal College of Art graduate Lina Saleh.

The plates are made from flexible silicone and form part of an exploration into how the perception of taste is influenced before we even take a bite, in the project aptly entitled "Living Plates."

Designed in collaboration with a chef the flexible plates aim to allow chefs extra scope in plating creativity whilst also adding an element of surprise and excitement to the diner's experience. After all, a trembling, folding, pop up or pop open dish don't often form the ordinary and everday tableware of most households. 

Saleh also hopes that the project will encourage diners to engage more consciously with what's on their plate. "The process of eating dessert is slowed down, as with each force instigated on the cake, the plate moves as the weight distribution shifts", she explains on her website.

Take a look at the living plates in action below:

By Holly Cole/ FDL