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AlterEgo Debuts Wearable for Silent Computer Interaction Using Subvocal Signals

The startup is withholding technical and commercial details ahead of a Sept. 17 Axios AI+ Summit presentation.

Overview

  • The Boston startup, spun out of MIT research, released a demo of a headset that detects jaw and throat neuromuscular activity and decodes it with machine learning.
  • Responses are delivered privately through bone‑conduction audio, and the company emphasizes it does not read brain activity or thoughts.
  • Claimed functions include thought‑speed typing, hands‑free device control, silent person‑to‑person chats, translation, and asking about surroundings via onboard cameras.
  • The demo video shows a unit worn around the ears and resting on the back of the head with tiny cameras, and the visible prototype appears wired.
  • AlterEgo has not disclosed funding, launch timing, or a commercialization plan, and it frames the non‑invasive approach as an alternative to brain implants and other EMG wearables.