A new type of wearable device has been developed. It is a “smart mouthpiece” that can be used to operate a connected smartphone by sweeping with a “tongue.”
According to the Daily Mail and other foreign media on the 20th (local time), Agummental, a spin-off company at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), recently unveiled “MouthPad”, a Bluetooth-based smart mouse.
The mouse pad has a touch panel on the roof of the mouth, so it is a device that is worn on teeth like a mouthpiece and is swept and operated with the tongue. It is using the tongue with the eleventh finger.
The mouse pad identifies the user's tongue position with a machine learning algorithm inside the processor and converts the movement into a cursor command. Basically, if you touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue, it's a left click, and if you close your lips, it's a right click.
It is compatible with most desktops and mobile devices without separate software (SW). Also, you can turn on and off the light just by moving your tongue by connecting it with lighting and Bluetooth. It can be used for up to 5 hours when fully charged. It can also be charged in a case like a wireless earphone.
It is expected to be used not only for people with disabilities who cannot move their hands and cannot use voice recognition services such as Siri and Bixby, but also for workers who are busy with their hands because they are doing other things.
It is customized according to the oral characteristics of the user. It is designed to weigh about 7.5g and 0.7mm thick so that it does not feel uncomfortable even if worn for a long time. It can be worn easily like a holding device or a denture.
“About 250,000 to 500,000 people worldwide suffer spinal injuries every year,” said Thomas Vega, co-founder and engineer of Agmental. “Our lives are becoming increasingly close to technology. It's more important than ever to have everyone equally access to new interfaces.”
Staff Reporter Seo, Heewon (shw@etnews.com)