assistive technology

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Can the Tide of AI Investment Lift All Boats on the Web?
2 months ago
- AI agents should operate websites as users would, without special treatment or bespoke solutions.
- Investments in AI should improve existing web technologies for all users, not just agents.
- The web platform should prioritize user needs (UX) over developer needs (DX) or agent needs (AX).
- There is irony in AI being touted as super intelligent yet requiring special 'training wheels' to use the web.
Augmental: MouthPad goes public, and we introduce VOX
2 months ago
- Augmental launched the MouthPad, a tongue-driven Bluetooth mouse for hands-free control of devices, now publicly available in the US.
- The MouthPad is custom-fitted over the upper teeth and uses a pressure-sensitive trackpad and head motion for cursor control, clicks, and gestures.
- Over 100 people with mobility challenges use the MouthPad daily, including students, artists, and gamers, for up to 16 hours.
- The second-generation MouthPad adds customizable keyboard shortcuts, WASD controls for gaming and 3D modeling, seven-plus hour battery life, and multi-device pairing.
- A user set a cursor-control speed record of 10.47 bits per second, matching implanted brain-computer interfaces without surgery.
- Augmental also released VOX, a skin-worn microphone pendant that captures sound through air and body for quiet dictation, rejecting ambient noise.
- VOX can be triggered by a button or tongue gesture (with MouthPad) for private dictation, messages, or AI interaction, and only activates on deliberate gestures.
- The VOX beta costs $200 (shipping late 2026), and the MouthPad costs $1,400 (plus ~$100 dental scan, shipping within six months).
- Combining MouthPad and VOX enables silent speech by pairing tongue movement patterns with body-conducted sound for a personal speech model.
- Both devices are part of Augmental's Skinware ecosystem: body-coupled wearables that meld with the body for better signal, comfort, and expression.
MouthPad: A Tongue-Controlled Touchpad
2 months ago
- The MouthPad is a custom-fit, hands-free touchpad worn inside the mouth, enabling cursor control, clicks, scrolling, and dragging via tongue, head, and breath gestures.
- It connects via Bluetooth to phones, tablets, and computers, with a companion app for customizing settings like sensitivity and cursor speed.
- Each MouthPad is made from a dental scan, 3D printed, and designed for comfort, with a thickness of ~1 mm, weight ~10 g, and battery life of 7+ hours.
- Pricing is $1,400 for one device or $1,900 for two, available only in the US, with a 1-year limited warranty and full refund before the dental scan is submitted.
- The device is discreet, minimally impacts speech, and can be used with voice recognition software.
- User testimonials highlight increased independence, ease of use, and transformative impact on daily life, especially for people with mobility challenges.

assistive technology

Can the Tide of AI Investment Lift All Boats on the Web?

Augmental: MouthPad goes public, and we introduce VOX

MouthPad: A Tongue-Controlled Touchpad