Hi Logan, thanks for your comment, and apologies for the delay in our response. We're a small company with limited resources, so we've prioritized waitlist applications from those who really need our solution and are close to us. We're working on scaling our operations and hope to serve everyone in the US soon. Stay tuned!
Also consider perforations in the inert parts of the MouthPad. Especially considering its intended users, it's a choking hazard and sooner or later somebody will get one of these stuck in their throat. You'd rather it not kill them when that happens.
The MouthPad^ is out in the world, transforming users’ lives at work, in play, and everything in between. For Keely Horch, a student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the MouthPad^ is an essential tool in the classroom, and a “layer of freedom” wherever she goes.
“I’m excited about the future because of the independence I have now from the MouthPad^,” said Keely. “Being able to stay up late to do homework or play games, it gives me a sense of normalcy.”
“It's given me the motivation to want to take control of my life.”
An incoming sophomore, Keely is studying math and computer engineering. She uses her MouthPad^ to code, draw equations, and take notes during lecture, where voice control is not an option. Hear Keely's story in the video above.
This past year, Augmental has worked with 40 early-access customers, each with unique abilities or mobility challenges, to evolve the MouthPad^s capabilities and refine the onboarding journey.
The MouthPad^ Early Access program is quickly expanding to everyone in the US. Join our waitlist to reserve your spot! [augmental.tech/waitlist](https://www.augmental.tech/waitlist)
Last year, Augmental (www.augmental.tech) released their first product, the MouthPad^, which is type of 'smart mouthware' that functions as a bluetooth-enabled mouse. The MouthPad^ is worn on the upper jaw and makes use tongue gesture to enable more universal access to one's personal electronics. Now, the MouthPad^ supports head-tracking, allowing users to move the cursor with their head motion while still supporting tongue-based clicks and other gestures.
That's an interesting idea! Currently, our MouthPad^ employs a capacitive trackpad, which we're working on to enhance sensitivity for 3D tongue tracking. It's somewhat akin to a low-resolution camera – it's effective, but there's room for improvement.
Using that same technology, we're also trying to unlock whispering speech and eventually moving towards fully silent speech capabilities. This will expand the range of intuitive interactions possible with the MouthPad^.
We totally agree — smart teeth are the future. We're looking into developing a 'smart tooth' that could use radar technology for precise tongue tracking. It's a futuristic idea, but that's the direction we're aiming for!
Co-founder of Augmental here. I really appreciate your kind comments. It's been a four-year journey to get here, and we're thankful for the amazing people who've helped us along the way. Feel free to shoot any questions you have my way!
I don’t have any physical disabilities, but I am still interested in something like this as may help be smoke less and up my productivity.
I am curious what this would be like pairing it with an eye tracker, so you could look at a particular area then as soon as you move your tongue slightly that’s when the cursor appears where you are looking at. So that the cursor never feels in the way or something you are dragging, and even less movement with the tongue. I’d give a regular mouse up for that in a heartbeat.
But yeah, congrats in seeing your idea out - impressive stuff :)
Thanks for your message and interest in the MouthPad^! In the future, we plan to integrate various health-tracking capabilities, including gas sensing. This could help monitor smoking habits and might assist in efforts to smoke less.
Your use case sounds entirely feasible and promising. We're also looking at the possibility of coupling eye tracking for cursor movement with the MouthPad^ trackpad, functioning as a gestural trackpad. This setup would allow for left clicks, right clicks, swipes, click-and-drag actions, and other gestures. It's an exciting prospect that could significantly improve the eye-tracking experience by overcoming the typically slow response of dwell-based clicking.
Stay tuned for these developments, and thanks for recognizing our work – it’s greatly appreciated!
This very cool and looks like it will help a lot of people.
Have you given any thought to the upcoming Vision Pro? I’m guessing it may depend on how it’s received by the public, if it’s worth putting the time into, but with its eye tracking and simple finger tap input, I’m thinking replacing the finger tap with a tongue tap would make for a pretty great experience.
Thanks for your enthusiasm and insight! We're in talks with Apple about integrating the MouthPad^ with the Vision Pro. The goal is to pair our tech with their eye-tracking system, offering a hands-free alternative for clicks and gestures currently done by hand.
Also, as more AR headsets become common, hands-free solutions will be crucial. Traditional hand tracking for clicking isn't always reliable, as hands might not be in the camera's view. The MouthPad^ could provide a consistent way to interact with these technologies, making computing more inclusive.
That's a great idea! We're currently beta testing head tracking on the MouthPad^, which is aimed at improving upon traditional head tracking methods. This feature lets users recenter the tracker by simply placing their tongue on the trackpad, making navigation more intuitive and less fatiguing by reducing neck movements.
We're excited about the potential of the MouthPad^ to help people with various motor abilities. Its broad range of functionalities could be particularly helpful for individuals with conditions like Parkinson's.
The MouthPad^ connects via standard Bluetooth pairing and is compatible with most common operating systems, functioning like a Bluetooth mouse under standard Bluetooth HID protocols. In the future, we will introduce an SDK to enable direct mappings for more tailored applications.
We’re building the MouthPad, a smart mouthwear that serves as a universal Bluetooth controller. Using tongue, jaw, head, and breath gestures, users can interact with devices like smartphones, tablets, computers, and IoT gadgets. Our solution offers expressive, unobtrusive, always-available hands-free control.
We’re addressing a significant gap in assistive interfaces. Current technology has not kept pace with users’ needs, especially those with hand impairments, limiting their engagement with the digital world - a crucial space for learning, socializing, and working. We’re driven to unlock their potential and enhance independence.
Our immediate target is helping individuals living with quadriplegia in the U.S. However, globally, with conditions like Muscular Dystrophy, SMA, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Cerebral Palsy, stroke aftermath, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and other SRIs, the number of potential users is vast.
Beyond assistive use, we’ve also attracted developers intrigued by the productivity gains from hands-free interfacing and the prospect of an always-available, private AI+AR interaction interface.
