Augmental has opened public US sales of the MouthPad, a custom-fitted retainer that lets users control a cursor with tongue pressure and head tracking, alongside a beta launch of Vox, a skin-worn pendant for quiet speech-to-text input. Together the devices aim to offer hands-free PC control without a surgical brain implant.
Augmental has moved its tongue-controlled MouthPad from a CES curiosity into a shipping product, opening public US sales alongside the beta launch of Vox, a companion wearable designed to handle hands-free typing. The MouthPad is a custom-fitted device that sits over the upper teeth like a slim retainer, using a pressure-sensitive trackpad on the palate combined with head tracking to move a cursor, click, and swipe. According to Digital Trends, every gesture is customizable through a companion app, and the company says more than 100 people with mobility challenges already use the device daily, some for up to 16 hours at a stretch.
A second-generation model released earlier this year added tongue-triggered keyboard shortcuts, a WASD remap for gaming, multi-device pairing, and a battery life bump to 7+ hours. Augmental points to a cursor accuracy test result of 10.47 bits per second as evidence of the device's precision, a figure it claims matches implanted brain-computer interfaces such as Neuralink, according to both Digital Trends and HotHardware. At $1,400 plus roughly $100 for a required dental scan, the MouthPad is far from cheap, but as HotHardware notes, it offers a less invasive path to hands-free computing than surgical implants.
Alongside the MouthPad's formal launch, Augmental introduced Vox, a small pendant worn against the skin that reads speech through body vibrations rather than open air, letting users dictate text at a near whisper while filtering out background noise. Vox can be triggered with a button press or, when paired with the MouthPad, a tongue gesture, and Augmental emphasizes that it only activates deliberately rather than listening continuously. The company's stated long-term goal is to combine MouthPad tongue data with Vox's acoustic input to enable what it calls silent speech, letting users communicate without making any sound.
Vox is shipping in beta for $200 later this year, with proceeds from its first batch going toward funding MouthPads for people who need them, while MouthPad orders ship within six months of purchase directly from Augmental.
What We Know
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price (MouthPad) | $1,400 USD, plus roughly $100 for a required dental scan |
| Price (Vox beta) | $200 USD |
| Battery life | 7+ hours on the second-generation MouthPad |
| Control method | Pressure-sensitive trackpad on the palate combined with head tracking; gestures customizable via companion app |
| Connectivity | Wireless Bluetooth; second-gen model can pair with multiple devices simultaneously |
| Cursor accuracy benchmark | A user reportedly hit 10.47 bits per second in a cursor accuracy test, which Augmental says matches implanted brain-computer interfaces like Neuralink |
| Shipping timeline | MouthPad orders ship within six months of ordering; Vox beta ships later this year |
| Fit/manufacturing | Custom-made for each user based on a dental scan, worn like a slim retainer over the upper teeth |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Augmental MouthPad cost?
The MouthPad costs $1,400 USD, plus roughly $100 for a required dental scan needed to custom-fit the device.
How does the MouthPad work?
It fits over the upper teeth like a slim retainer and uses a pressure-sensitive trackpad on the palate combined with head tracking to move a cursor, click, and swipe, with gestures customizable through a companion app.
What is Vox and how does it relate to the MouthPad?
Vox is a small skin-worn pendant that reads speech through body vibrations, allowing near-whisper dictation. It can be triggered by a button or, when paired with the MouthPad, a tongue gesture, and is shipping in beta for $200 later this year.
How accurate is the MouthPad compared to brain-computer interfaces?
Augmental reports a user achieved 10.47 bits per second in a cursor accuracy test, a figure the company says matches implanted brain-computer interfaces like Neuralink.
