Thanks to recent technological developments, some companies are working on innovative methods to enable people with physical disabilities to manipulate electronic devices such as computers and smartphones, even allowing them to play video games.
The most futuristic method is seen in chips that are implanted in the brain, with companies such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Synchron and others, conducting studies in humans with quite promising results thus far.
While these kinds of solutions could transform brain-machine interaction forever, the reality is that they are still years away from mass adoption; but that doesn’t mean there is no short-term hope for people with some kind of physical impediment to interacting with technology.
Aurax, a Spanish company, has developed an innovative device called MouthX, dubbed the most complete and compact hands-free controller on the market, with which users can manipulate smartphones, computers and tablets using their mouth.
In an interview with Victor Hugo de Pablo, Head of Engineering at Aurax, Novobrief learned first-hand about the device’s benefits and how MouthX is helping a traditionally underserved population in the digital age.
Innovation against digital exclusion
The Catalan startup was founded in July 2023. The project came about after its founders met a little over three years ago at an event.
Since then, Narcís Codina Candel, an industrial engineer by profession, and Armando Folgado, who became a pentaplegic due to acute transverse encephalomyelitis, have been working together so that more people with motor disabilities, or without upper limbs, can use everyday technological devices such as a mobile phone, a tablet or a computer.
Since its inception, Aurax started working on the first prototypes of the device thanks to a friends and family round of investment. They later raised a second round of €1 million.
“This initial investment has allowed us to incorporate key resources in product development, technical, commercial and communication teams, accelerating both the evolution of MouthX and its arrival on the market,” Victor Hugo de Pablo told Novobrief.
Via: Aurax
The investment also marked the arrival of founding partners Ellis Fuller Sancho, Quique Martínez Alén and Víctor Julià Dot, who have also brought their experience to the project.
“Our first steps are focused on consolidating in Spain and gaining real traction in this market. From there, the plan is to progressively expand into the main European markets, where we have already detected a clear and growing need for solutions like MouthX,” said Hugo de Pablo.
Aurax currently has a team of 11 people, the device is in the industrialisation phase and tests are being carried out with users to fine-tune the design and functionality. The company plans a market launch in October, although pre-orders are available now.
Transforming interaction with dignified and inclusive technology
While the development of MouthX was motivated by the goal of improving Armando’s relationship with technology following his illness, that vision of creating technological solutions that transform human interaction with the digital world also became the hope of many more people.
One of the main challenges was that Armando did not want a robust, hard-wired device that would make him look like ‘Robocop’. So they started to develop a functional, comfortable and dignified device for the users.
This is precisely one of the features that make the MouthX unique. It is a device that connects via Bluetooth and prioritises discretion (no wires, invisible) and adaptability, with a focus on improving autonomy and quality of life.
The Head of Engineering also says that its development has been a technical challenge. “We had to overcome the miniaturisation of electronic components to develop a joystick 10 times smaller than conventional joysticks and achieve a sensitivity of 1 gram of force to avoid tongue fatigue,” explained Hugo de Pablo.
The device has electronic components inside, but the rest of the manufacturing is based on 3D printing, and being in the mouth the materials used must be safe for contact with saliva. Plus, the fit of the device in the molars depends on each user, so the company works hand in hand with dentists to provide a personalised experience.
“We develop a standard base design, but when the user buys the product they have to go to a dentist, they do a scan and then the dentist sends us the 3D image of the mouth and we adapt our base design to the user’s mouth, so it is uniquely tailored to each person,” said Hugo de Pablo.
Aurax does not see it as competition to the brain chips that are currently being developed. Instead, MouthX could be a perfect complement in the future.
