Forget the Mouse: Augmental’s MouthPad Lets the Tongue Control the Cursor
San Francisco startup Augmental launches public sales of its mouth-worn interface across the US, allowing users to control digital devices using tongue movements and head gestures.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- MouthPad is now publicly available across the US following its 2024 early access program.
- The dental-resin wearable weighs around 10 grams and offers over 7 hours of continuous battery life.
- The second generation pairs with multiple devices simultaneously and supports custom tongue shortcuts.
- Over 6,300 people have joined the waiting list, with the device priced at $1,400.
Three years after designboom first reported on Augmental’s experimental tongue-controlled interface, the San Francisco-based startup is rolling out public sales of the MouthPad across the United States. Initially released via an early access program in 2024, the hands-free device is currently utilized by over 100 individuals facing mobility challenges, including students, artists, gamers, and professionals. Some users reportedly wear the device for up to 16 hours a day.
Custom-crafted for each wearer, the MouthPad resembles a slim dental retainer fitted over the upper teeth. A pressure-sensitive trackpad positioned against the palate reads subtle tongue movements, while integrated motion sensors translate head gestures into cursor commands. Users can perform clicks, scrolls, swipes, and drags, complemented by a sipping motion for extra input. The Bluetooth-enabled device operates seamlessly across smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The second-generation device evolves the MouthPad from a simple digital mouse into a more adaptable controller. Tongue gestures can now trigger keyboard shortcuts, and the trackpad can be remapped for WASD gaming controls, 3D modeling, and other software applications. Furthermore, the updated hardware pairs with multiple devices at once, letting users toggle between them via a physical button. Weighing approximately 10 grams, the dental-resin wearable delivers more than seven hours of continuous battery life per charge.
Wearable mouth-based interfaces represent a practical alternative in assistive technology, bridging the gap between traditional peripherals and invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). By leveraging the intraoral cavity, devices like the MouthPad offer high-precision control without requiring surgical procedures, showcasing how human anatomy can be repurposed for digital interaction.
Augmental reports that over 6,300 people have signed up for its waiting list, drawing interest from surgeons, technicians, pianists, boxers, mechanics, and parents alike. MouthPad user Tomás Baptista recently recorded 10.47 bits per second in a cursor-control task, a performance metric that the company compares to state-of-the-art implanted brain-computer interfaces.
Additionally, Augmental complements the MouthPad with VOX, a wearable voice keyboard that records only when activated via a pendant press or a programmed tongue gesture, avoiding the continuous listening typical of voice assistants. Co-founded by Tomás Vega and Corten Singer, the MouthPad is commercially available at a price of 1,400 dollars, excluding the required intraoral dental scan.
Source: designboom
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