Former Apple Designer Launches AI Device: A Lapel Pin Aims to Overturn the Smartphone World

Can the $699 product from former Apple employees fulfill this ambition?

Five years ago, former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno founded Humane , an artificial intelligence startup. After years of research, Humane has officially announced its first product - a $699 digital lapel pin .

Ai Pin black version.

In an interview with the NYTimes, Humane said the Ai Pin's goal is to usher users into a "post-smartphone future," allowing them to make calls, send messages, and look up information using voice commands without needing to be tethered to a phone. The device also has a laser projector that turns your palm into a tiny screen that can display the time, date, or whatever information you're looking for.

Laser display navigates with hand gestures.

The Ai Pin has a square design that magnetically clips onto your clothing. However, the clip is more than just a magnet; it also doubles as a removable battery, meaning you can swap it out as needed without having to wait for a recharge, with the battery lasting around 4 hours on a single charge, and the included charging case providing an additional 4 hours. The surface of the Pin also doubles as a touchpad, protected by Gorilla Glass.

Powering this smart pin is a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor , 32GB of internal storage, and the device uses cameras, depth sensors, and motion sensors to track and record its surroundings. The device has a built-in speaker that Humane calls a 'personal speaker,' and can connect to Bluetooth headphones.

Charging case included.

Since there's no display, Humane has come up with new ways to interact with the Pin. It's primarily a voice-based device, but it also has a green laser projector that can project information onto your hand. Humane calls it a "Laser Ink Display." Interacting with the Laser Ink Display can be done by gesturing with your palm, and users can select the item they want by tapping their finger, similar to the tap gesture used for the Double Tap feature on the Apple Watch.

Tapping on the Ai Pin and speaking will activate the 'Ai Mic,' which can answer questions and help users find information, and also has a translation feature. Humane says the Ai Pin is 'fluent in multiple languages' and can translate speech in real time. Users can also ask the device to play music.

Use Ai Pin to look up product prices online.

Ai Pin integrates a 13 megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, users can take photos and videos by double-tapping with two fingers or by voice command. You can view photos using the "Center" website on any web browser. This website also contains notes taken, music listened to, reminders, etc. You can also view captured images through the laser screen, but of course the quality will be very poor.

The device has a built-in camera for taking pictures and videos.

Users can tell Ai Pin about their activity and nutrition goals to track progress and better understand calorie intake. Putting a food name in Ai Pin will allow the device to provide nutritional information and can tell users whether the food is 'safe' to eat, based on their health goals.

Ai Pin can analyze the nutritional value of food.

There are no apps on the Pin, the device's operating system is called Cosmos and uses a seamless system that can call up multiple AI and other tools when you need it. Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and other companies are contributing AI services to the Ai Pin.

Ai Pin is capable of operating completely independently, without needing to be connected to a smartphone. The device has a built-in cellular connection, has its own phone number, and can be used to answer phone calls from trusted contacts designated by the wearer. Humane says Ai Pin can intelligently identify unfamiliar contacts, allowing interactions with food delivery people who come to pick up orders.

Pre-orders for the Ai Pin will begin in the US on November 16. The Ai Pin costs $700, and there's also a $24 monthly subscription to use the device on Humane's network, which is powered by T-Mobile.