MIT Media Lab spinoff company Augmental has revealed its latest wireless tongue-operated touchpad called MouthPad^. Augmental's co-founder and engineer Tomás Vega said: "As our lives become increasingly intertwined with technology, and the world expands from the physical to the digital, it's more important than ever to ensure that everyone has equal access to control inputs and new interfaces."
MouthPad^ enables users who suffer from spinal cord injuries and other mobility impairments to handle digital devices with more accessibility and management. Augmental states the MouthPad^ should be treated as the "11th finger," as it can analyze the consumer's tongue position and movement through a machine-learning algorithm inside its processor. It then converts the data into cursor commands through Bluetooth. This results in users being able to send an email, turn on the lights, or even play a video game. The MouthPad^ can be used with its charging case that supports over five hours of continuous battery life with a charge time of approximately two hours. Augmental has opened a waitlist for the MouthPad^.
Wireless Tongue-Operated Trackpads
Augmental Unveils its New Product Dubbed MouthPad^
Trend Themes
1. Wireless Tongue-operated Technology - The trend towards wireless, tongue-operated technology is expanding, as it offers mobility impaired users a more accessible control interface.
2. Machine Learning Algorithm Development - The development of machine learning algorithms that interpret and convert tongue movements into cursor commands provides a disruptive innovation opportunity in the field of accessibility technology.
3. Internet of Things Accessibility - The demand for increased accessibility in the realm of the Internet of Things is resulting in the creation of innovative, tongue-operated products like the MouthPad^.
Industry Implications
1. Accessibility Technology - The MouthPad^ from Augmental demonstrates a disruptive innovation opportunity in the accessibility technology industry for creating new and innovative solutions to empower mobility impaired users.
2. Consumer Electronics - Consumer electronics companies can incorporate tongue-operated technology into their devices to expand accessibility and reach more users.
3. Healthcare Technology - Tongue-operated technology like the MouthPad^ offers opportunities for innovation in healthcare technology by providing mobility-impaired patients increased control over digital devices and reducing dependence on caregivers.