Today, Thursday, Aina, a startup company specializing in smart devices, launched a smart ring equipped with a screen, a joystick, and a microphone, which allows the user to talk to artificial intelligence agents and take notes. Its price is $399, according to what was published by the technical website “TechCrunch.”
The ring, which the company called the “AI ring,” includes a headset that allows for making calls, in addition to the ability to send orders to agents, set reminders, and dictate texts on Mac computers via the “Wispr Flow” application or the company’s dictation engine.
The small screen displays phone notifications and the applications being controlled, while the joystick navigates between options. The ring supports gestures to perform various actions according to what appears on the Mac or phone screen, and also allows control of music and smart home devices, including Apple TV.
The company’s founder, Aporov Shankar, said in a statement to TechCrunch that phone and computer screens were designed for the browsing era in which the user thinks about opening applications, but interacting with proactive agents requires a better interface, which is what the company sought to provide.
Aina had previously produced the “Mirage” device, which is a three-key controller that allows executing commands related to the application open on the Mac screen, such as turning on the camera or muting the microphone in Google Meet meetings. The company raised $5.5 million last July.
The ring enters a market that includes similar products, including “Pebble Index 01,” “Sandbar Stream,” “Oasis,” and “Natura,” while other companies are seeking to produce devices dedicated to controlling agents, including the experimental keyboard from “Open AI” and the “Rabbit” device.
The company has opened pre-order for the ring starting today at an introductory price of $399, which will rise to $499 after the offer ends, and shipping is scheduled to begin in January 2027.