When you think of hands-free devices, your mind might typically wander to voice-activated assistants like Alexa or Bluetooth earpieces. However, a groundbreaking innovation goes beyond these familiar tools: “MouthIO”. Developed collaboratively by researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Aarhus University, MouthIO is a dental brace embedded with sensors and feedback components designed to facilitate in-mouth communication.
MouthIO functions as a custom-fit electronic retainer, created specifically to match the contours of your teeth via dental scans. This ingenious device is tailored using a plugin for Blender, enabling users to transform their dental scans into 3D-printed designs made of dental resin. The tool allows for the integration of various electronic components, including batteries, temperature and acceleration sensors, and even vibration motors and LEDs for feedback. This level of customization can extend to small electronic components on individual teeth, creating a truly unique oral interface.
The Active Mouth: A New Frontier
“The mouth presents fascinating opportunities for interactive wearables, yet it has remained largely uncharted territory due to its complexities,” states Michael Wessely, a key researcher and now assistant professor at Aarhus University, who previously worked at CSAIL. “This compact and humid environment features intricate geometries, presenting challenges for wearable interfaces. However, with MouthIO, we’ve created a safe, comfortable, and nearly invisible device that excites dentists and healthcare professionals alike for its potential to uncover new health insights, like tracking teeth grinding and bacteria presence in saliva.”
The MouthIO device has shown promising capabilities in health monitoring through initial experiments. By embedding an accelerometer in the brace, the researchers were able to track bruxism, or teeth grinding, by recording jaw movements. Attached to the lower set of teeth, MouthIO can detect grinding and biting, generating data to illustrate the frequency of these activities.
Moreover, this innovative brace could significantly enhance accessibility for users with motor impairments. By connecting small touchpads, the device responds to tongue movements, allowing these subtle actions to control a computer, phone, or fitness tracker via Bluetooth—essentially transforming the tongue into a hands-free control mechanism.
Stefanie Mueller, a co-author of the study, emphasizes the significance of such advancements, stating, “MouthIO exemplifies how modern miniature electronics enable us to integrate sensing capabilities into a diverse range of daily interactions. I’m particularly enthusiastic about its potential to enhance accessibility and monitor health conditions.”
Crafting Your Own MouthIO
Creating a 3D model of your teeth can begin with a simple impression, followed by scanning the mold using mobile apps like Polycam. After uploading this data to Blender and utilizing the specialized plugin, you can refine your dental scan into a fitted brace and then 3D-print it in clear dental resin. Users have the option of designing a traditional brace or selecting an “open-bite” design, which allows better natural speech by exposing the tips of the teeth.
This DIY approach typically costs around $15 and takes about two hours for 3D printing. An alternative professional method utilizes high-end dental scanners, comparable to those used by dentists, offering faster and less labor-intensive production.
The researchers advocate for the open-bite design, recommending it for experiments focusing on beverage temperature management. For instance, one iteration of MouthIO can alert wearers when a drink exceeds 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit) through a vibrating mechanism linked to a temperature sensor, thus aiding individuals with limited sensory awareness in gauging their consumption.
User studies indicate a preference for the open-bite design, which allows the tongue to touch the teeth without causing a lisp. “Our findings suggest that MouthIO could indeed be suitable for everyday use,” says Yijing Jiang, PhD student at Aarhus University and lead author of the study. “Users reported a natural fit, easing comfort during extended wear, much like retainers.”
The promising prospects of MouthIO include ongoing refinement, the exploration of softer materials, and incorporation within other mouth regions, like the palate. Researchers are already working on new designs, including a single-sided brace that offers enhanced comfort while remaining inconspicuous, as well as a version capable of wireless charging.
Jiang, Mueller, Wessely, and co-authors Julia Kleinau, Till Max Eckroth, and Eve Hoggan acknowledge the support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation for their work, presented at ACM’s Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
