Over the past decade there have been a few attempts to replace the traditional computer mouse with a lighter and faster gadget, but none of them seemed to fully meet users’ needs. The Prolo Ring is the most recent innovation, launched on Kickstarter a week ago. It looks like future customers have high expectations for this one, as it got funded in just nine minutes.
Previous ring-mouse devices we’ve seen were a bit bulky, had visible buttons, or positioned your hand in the same way as a traditional mouse, potentially causing wrist strain. By contrast, the minimalistic Prolo Ring looks more like a jewelry piece. It comes in three colors, has no buttons, and weighs around 5 grams – light enough to make you forget you’re even wearing it (so make sure you take it off before washing the dishes).
The Prolo Ring fits on the index finger and has three main components: a trackpad (operated by the thumb), a 6-axis motion sensor, and a "modstrip" (basically a trackpad operated by the index finger of the other hand). Full cursor control is enabled mostly with your thumb: point, click, scroll, zoom, or swipe.
The ring can recognize over 40 air gestures of the index finger (on the ring-wearing hand), which can be programmed for your individual needs: from playing YouTube videos to switching between windows or launching macros. All this functionality allows your hands to stay on the keyboard, as every control tool is literally at your fingertips.
Switching from a traditional mouse to the ring does seem like a big change, so we reached out to the founders to learn what feedback they received from early testers.
"It’s surprisingly intuitive. For basic cursor control, most people feel comfortable after just five minutes – it behaves like a miniature trackpad," Prolo CEO Dr. Joey Cheng told us. "Within about 15 minutes, users can perform most everyday actions without thinking about them. Customization takes a little longer, but that’s part of the fun – once users start creating their own gestures and macros, it becomes a creative process rather than a technical one. In the end, it’s just swipes and clicks – the logic feels natural."
While the Prolo Ring can fully replace a mouse for gaming, doing presentations, and most basic computer tasks, there are still some limitations.
"For high-precision work – like 3D modeling, CAD, or photo retouching – the Prolo Ring is designed to complement, not completely replace, the mouse. Pointer precision is still limited by the small form factor," said Cheng.
The Prolo Ring is compatible with a wide range of devices and all major systems. Connecting it to a computer doesn’t require any software or subscription – just Bluetooth. There is also a desktop app, but it’s not necessary to install unless you want to experiment with multiple advanced configurations.
The device takes about an hour to charge, though the downside is that its battery may run out before you finish your eight-hour workday. It comes with a battery-equipped charging case (which looks a lot like a proposal ring box) that can recharge the ring for up to 30 days, and that takes two hours to fully charge from an outlet.
There are several editions available to backers: from the Basic, which includes the ring and a charging cable for a pledge of US$99 (planned retail $199), to the Founder’s Edition which includes two rings (with personalized engraving on one of them), special packaging, and some "Surprise Founder Perks" for $299. Assuming everything works out, the devices should ship in December.
Sources: Kickstarter, Prolo
