Subvocal, founded by Arnav and Aarush, makes AI glasses that turn silent words into text
There’s something magical in tech. Imagine sitting in a busy cafe and writing an entire email without touching your laptop or saying a single word. That is the idea behind a new pair of smart glasses being developed by The Subvocal Company. The startup says its wearable can turn silent mouth movements into text, giving users another way to interact with computers without typing or speaking aloud.
Co-founders Aarush Yadav and Arnav Kumar announced that they have raised $1.3 million (around Rs 123.39 crore) from Y Combinator and Afore Capital to develop the technology. In a post on X, Yadav said the glasses were designed to solve two everyday problems: “Typing is slow. Talking into your computer is awkward.” He added that the wearable can convert almost invisible mouthing into text at more than 200 words per minute.We’ve raised $1.3M from YC & Afore Capital so you never have to type or speak again. Typing is slow. Talking into your computer is awkward. Subvocal fixes both Our glasses give you the speed of speech without you making a sound or touching a keyboard. It tracks your internal speech muscles with non-contact sensing and decodes silent, almost invisible mouthing into text at more than 200 words/min. Pre-orders are now live at: https://t.co/DzrwIpg3GR— Aarush Yadav (@AarushYadav47) October 30, 2026How do the Subvocal smart glasses work?The idea is different from the voice typing tools you may already use. Instead of listening to your voice, the glasses are designed to pick up the tiny movements of your face and speech muscles as you silently form words.
The company describes this as non-contact sensing and says users do not need to speak or produce audible sounds. Public reports describe the technology as using radio-frequency signals, which detect subtle changes caused by mouth movements. However, the company has not disclosed its full sensing architecture, citing competitive reasons.
And no, the glasses are not reading your thoughts. You still have to deliberately mouth the words, although the movements are intended to be subtle enough that people at a normal conversational distance may not notice them.
The company says users will be able to write messages, take notes and interact with AI assistants through the glasses. It also claims the device does not need a camera or microphone for silent speech input.When will these glasses be available?
The Subvocal Company has opened reservations in the US. The glasses have a listed price of $699 (roughly Rs 66,343), but early buyers can reserve a pair for $499 (around Rs 47,361). This includes a refundable $199 (approximately Rs 18,887) deposit, with the remaining $300 (roughly Rs 28,473) payable later. Prescription lenses will cost extra.
The startup currently estimates that shipping will begin in the first quarter of 2027. However, the product is still in development, and the company says its final specifications may change. Deliveries are also subject to regulatory approval.
There is one important question: can the glasses actually deliver the claimed speed and accuracy in everyday use? The 200-plus words-per-minute figure comes from the company's prototypes and has not been independently verified. How well the technology handles different accents, unfamiliar words and long stretches of dictation also remains to be seen.- EndsAlso Read | Sam Altman says it is terrible your PC uses RAM while AI data centres run short of supplyAlso Read | iPhone Duo's inner screen cracking issue: Apple tells stores what to doAlso Read | Google's space-based AI data centre is now online, but it has a power problem
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