Augmental MouthPad Public Sales Bring Tongue-Controlled Cursor to US Users

By Paionia7 Staff

Three years after revealing its experimental tongue-controlled interface, San Francisco-based startup Augmental is opening public sales of the MouthPad across the United States. The device, which resembles a slim dental retainer fitted over the upper teeth, allows users to control a computer cursor by moving their tongue across a pressure-sensitive trackpad and by using head gestures. What began as an early access program in 2024 now counts more than 100 regular users, including students, artists, gamers and professionals, some of whom wear the device for up to 16 hours a day.

The public launch arrives alongside VOX, a wearable microphone pendant that Augmental calls an “invisible keyboard” and that can be paired with the MouthPad to enable hands-free voice input without speaking aloud.

From early access to public sales

The MouthPad was first reported by design media in 2023, when Augmental began testing the concept with a small group of users. After a year of refinement, the company opened an early access program in 2024. The device is now available for purchase by anyone in the United States, with Augmental reporting that more than 6,300 people have joined its waiting list. The company lists surgeons, technicians, pianists, boxers, mechanics and parents among those seeking access to hands-free digital control.

The shift from experimental prototype to a market-ready product reflects the growing demand for alternative input methods, particularly for people with limited hand mobility or those who need to keep their hands occupied. The MouthPad is currently sold for $1,400, excluding the cost of a required intraoral dental scan used to create each custom-fit unit.

How the MouthPad works

The MouthPad is moulded from dental resin and weighs approximately 10 grams. It fits over the upper teeth, with a pressure-sensitive trackpad positioned against the palate. The user’s tongue acts as a stylus: pressing, swiping and tapping on the trackpad translates into cursor movements, clicks and scrolls. Integrated motion sensors detect head movements, allowing users to reposition the cursor by tilting or rotating their head. A sipping motion provides an additional input command.

The device connects to phones, tablets and computers via Bluetooth. Battery life exceeds seven hours per charge, and the dental-resin construction is designed for daily wear. The company says the device is manufactured individually for each user based on a digital scan of their mouth.

Second generation expands functionality

The second-generation MouthPad goes beyond basic cursor control. Tongue gestures can now be programmed to trigger keyboard shortcuts, such as copy, paste or application switching. The pressure-sensitive trackpad can be remapped to WASD-style controls for gaming, 3D modelling and other software that uses keyboard-driven navigation. The updated hardware also supports multi-device pairing, allowing users to switch between a phone, a tablet and a computer by pressing a physical button on the device.

According to Augmental, a user named Tomás Baptista achieved 10.47 bits per second in a cursor speed-and-accuracy test. The company compares this performance to state-of-the-art implanted brain-computer interfaces, but notes that the MouthPad achieves comparable pointer control without requiring surgery.

VOX: a wearable microphone for silent dictation

Alongside the MouthPad, Augmental introduced VOX, a wearable microphone pendant that captures sound traveling through the air and the user’s body. The design is inspired by the stethoscope: it picks up the wearer’s voice through bone conduction and air conduction while rejecting background noise and conversations nearby. This allows users to dictate text, compose messages or interact with voice assistants at low volume, even in noisy environments or quiet spaces like libraries and cafés.

VOX records only when the user presses a button on the pendant or, when paired with the MouthPad, performs a programmed tongue gesture. This deliberate activation avoids the always-listening behaviour of many voice assistants. The pendant is available during a beta release at $200.

Augmental describes the combination of MouthPad and VOX as “Skinware” – body-coupled interfaces that replace the traditional mouse and keyboard without requiring a desk, hands or audible speech.

Key facts

Why it matters for design and technology readers

The MouthPad and VOX represent a shift in human-computer interaction that moves input away from hands and towards the body’s existing capabilities. For designers, architects and engineers who work with 3D modelling, CAD or digital sketching, the ability to control a cursor with tongue gestures and head movements could free up hands for other tasks. For accessibility specialists and product designers, the device offers a non-invasive alternative to implants and a practical solution for users with limited hand function. The integration of a wearable microphone that works in low-volume settings also expands the potential for voice-driven workflows in shared workspaces.

Source: Designboom – https://www.designboom.com/technology/mouse-augmental-mouthpad-tongue-control/