ArticleBody:Brain-computer interfaces advancements have grabbed headlines in recent months but there’s another, far more accessible body part that can help people with physical disabilities navigate computers—the tongue. One MIT graduate’s company is now offering MouthPad, a device described as “a lollipop with a bunch of sensors” that allows users to control a computer cursor just by using simple movements within their mouth.
“The tongue comprises eight muscles, and most of the muscle fibers are slow-twitch, which means they don’t fatigue as quickly. So, I thought, ‘Why don’t we leverage all of that?’” Vega’s and Augmental’s result is MouthPad, a highly sensitive, 3D-printed microfabricated retainer that uses dental-grade materials and electronics to ostensibly create a computer mouse for your mouth.