At THESE, some innovations may seem surprising, but are in fact much more interesting than you might think. This is the case with the Mouthpad, a touchpad to be installed… in your mouth.
And we used our tongue rather than our fingers to control our smartphones? The idea may seem preposterous, but it is undoubtedly what crossed the mind of Augmental, an American startup which markets the “MouthPad”. An English pun on the term “mousepad” (“mouse pad” in French), the Mouthpad is a futuristic accessory that is smarter than you might think.
An accessibility accessory above all
Concretely, this gadget takes the form of a dental appliance on which a touch pad is placed at the level of the palate. Once connected to your iPhone, computer or any device, it becomes possible to control a mouse with language movements. A press on the palate is equivalent to a left click, a press followed by a movement to move an icon and swallow saliva allows you to make a right click. More advanced actions based on jaw movements are also planned.
On the computer or phone side, the accessory is recognized as a classic Bluetooth mouse or as an AssistiveTouch device on Apple devices.
If Augmental presents its Mouthpad as a “augmented human technology» on its site, the gadget is above all an interesting tool for people with musculoskeletal disorders. A real accessibility tool, the Mouthpad could well prove practical for controlling electronic devices without needing your upper limbs. The accessory is in line with similar digital control tools using eye movement or facial expressions.
Connected and tailor-made dental device
According to the company, the Mouthpad doesn’t prevent you from talking (although it may cause some chattering at first), but it is necessary to remove it when eating. The opportunity, according to Augmental, to recharge the tiny battery located next to the gums. The marketing of the device does not yet have a fixed date, except that it is expected during the year. Unsurprisingly, each device will be custom-made in 3D printing using a dental scan.
Unfortunately, no price has yet been announced and international availability still seems far away, given the technical constraints that health devices like this traditionally have to comply with. Let’s hope at least that the Mouthpad can inspire other accessory makers and raise awareness of different digital accessibility needs.
Source : Engadget
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