San Francisco-based smart tech startup Humane has launched its first product. The Ai Pin essentially allows users to attach an AI chatbot and lifelogger to their clothing and access AI wherever they are.
Where the power of artificial intelligence can be made available to folks using an app running on a smartphone, the Ai Pin offers a more direct route – "it quickly understands what you need, connecting you to the right AI experience or service instantly."
The system is made up of two parts, the square wearable unit that's visible out front and a "battery booster" that sits inside the article of clothing and grips the main unit using magnets, with Humane saying that users can hotswap battery boosters instead of needing to find a wall outlet when out and about (two boosters are included in the package).
Once in place, users can talk to the AI-powered system via the built-in microphone, which "quickly finds and contextualizes what you're looking for." A feature can look through the wearer's webmail inbox and provide highlights, while a messaging function can generate text in the user's tone. And the unit could also serve as an interpreter when visiting foreign parts.
The Ai Pin includes a tiny projector that can throw visuals – such as simple navigation prompts, weather alerts, notifications and more – on the palm of a hand held out front. The company has partnered with TIDAL for music on the move through a "personic speaker" that's reported capable of generating a "bubble of sound, offering both intimacy and volume as needed." The device can also connect to Bluetooth earbuds, too.
A wide-angle RGB camera is cooked in to help "capture and recall important memories" as well as scanning food items at the grocery store. A depth sensor and motion sensors are also included. As for the potential privacy nightmare, the company is keen to point out that the device "only activates upon user engagement and does not employ 'wake words,' ensuring it is not always listening or recording." A light will come on when any of its sensors are active so that everyone knows what's what.
Humane has partnered with Microsoft and OpenAI for access to AI models, and is launching its own mobile virtual network operator with T-Mobile to negate connection to a smartphone. A central cloud hub called the Humane.center stores all user data, including any photos and videos captured by the camera as well as memos/notes. The company is promising much more to come as the platform develops.
"Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity," said co-founders Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. "We are proud to finally unveil what we and the team at Humane have been working on for the past four years. For us, Ai Pin is just the beginning."
The Ai Pin is priced at US$699, and the order books are due to open in the US from November 16. There's also a monthly subscription of $24 to take into account, which will give the Ai Pin its own cell phone number and unlimited talk, text and data, as well as cloud storage. The video below has more.
Product page: Humane Ai Pin
