Tomás Vega, MIT alum and CEO of Augmental, found technology a great equalizer when he dealt with a stuttering disorder at a young age. Vega began programming at age 12 and continued to use technology to augment human abilities throughout high school and college. He made it his mission to help people with disabilities live more independently through his technology.
Augmental’s first product, the MouthPad, allows users with movement impairments to control electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets through their tongue and head movements. Vega disclosed that people with spinal cord injuries already use the MouthPad daily. Vega’s ultimate goal with Augmental is to make technologies more accessible for people living with severe impairments, such that they can be as proficient in using electronic devices as someone using their hands.
Vega met his Augmental co-founder, Corten Singer, in 2012 at UC Berkeley. He later attended MIT’s Media Lab, where he learned about microfabrication, signal processing, and electronics. At the Media Lab, he developed wearable devices to help people access information online, improve sleep, and regulate emotions.
He initially worked on a brain-machine interface but shifted focus due to the long development timeline and limitations within the technology. Vega discovered the mouth as a medium for computer interaction and considered it a viable solution. Vega and Singer officially launched Augmental upon Vega’s graduation in 2019.
Augmental uses a 3D model based on scans of the user’s mouth to generate each MouthPad. The company then uses dental-grade materials to 3D print the retainer and adds the electronic components. The MouthPad allows users to control electronic devices via tongue and head movements. It is customizable to every individual, accommodating the user’s specific condition.
Currently, many of Augmental’s users have spinal cord injuries, with others being gamers and programmers who use the device for up to nine hours daily. Over the next year, Augmental plans to gain FDA approval to enable the MouthPad to control wheelchairs and robotic arms, as well as insurance reimbursements to make the product more accessible.
Augmental is working on an updated system that will respond to whispers and subtle movements of internal speech organs. Vega believes Augmental can be a useful tool for everyone as it provides a robust, private, and versatile interface for all.
