Using an OpenAI-powered model, Ai Pin works as a virtual assistant. Now the general public will decide if it can get used to not having a screen. (Source: Humane)

The AI Pin Proposes for Smartphone Users to Go Screenless with Device

Now that Halloween is behind us and the temperatures are dropping, it must be time to think about Christmas gifts. And this year, the people who run the company Humane have a real change of pace when it comes to a special gift.

The Humane Ai Pin finally debuted Nov. 9, giving the public its first in-depth look at the screenless AI wearable that is intended to replace the smartphone.

Humane, which is led by ex-Apple employees Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, has operated quietly until the release, adding to Ai Pin’s mystique. The jury is still out on whether the largely voice-activated device will take off with consumers.

The staff at theverge.com has been following the progress of the Ai Pin for almost a year.  What they have found is this device is going to take some time to get used to. Without a screen, your awareness of the world around you will change. You are going to rely less on your eyes to get the information you want, or want to convey.

What It Is

“The Pin itself is a square device that magnetically clips to your clothes or other surfaces. The clip is more than just a magnet, though; it’s also a battery pack, which means you can swap in new batteries throughout the day to keep the Pin running. We don’t know how long a single battery lasts, but the device ships with two ‘battery boosters.’ It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and uses a camera, depth, and motion sensors to track and record its surroundings. It has a built-in speaker, which Humane calls a “personic speaker,” and can connect to Bluetooth headphones.”

Futuristic Features

Mashable.com has listed some of the features they found to be game changers contained within this new system. Here is the website’s take on the Ai Pin.

1. Instead of a screen, Ai Pin projects onto your palm

Humane touts AI Pin as an anti-smartphone, where instead of looking down at a screen, you’re able to interact with the world around you. But sometimes, you need visuals. To compensate for that, Ai Pin is built with a “laser ink display” that can project onto your palm. Similar to the double tap Apple Watch feature, tapping your index finger and thumb together can pause or play music. Other gestures include tilting your hand forward, back, or down, which all have specific actions.

2. Ai Pin wants to make voice command more of a thing

Humane is introducing what they are calling the AiMic. Without a screen, it stands to reason communication between the wearer and the device will have to be audio. Humane is using OpenAI’s model to handle search and task-handling through voice commands.

3. It can tell you food nutrition facts and translate languages in real-time

What might be the most unique feature of AIPin is the ability to keep you informed about what you are eating and perhaps what dish you are ordering in a foreign language. It can give you information on calories, carbohydrates, etc. And it can alert you to a mistake if you are ordering dinner in a language you don’t understand. That is going to be helpful.

4. The Ai Pin takes privacy and discretion into account

Unlike other voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, Ai Pin doesn’t have a wake word, meaning it isn’t passively listening to your conversations. It only turns on when the device owner manually activates it. ( Well, we can hope that is how it works)

Take A Look

There is no doubt this device will take some getting used to. Trying to find the most useful way to operate this addition to our computer-driven lives will not be easy at first. And some question whether the device will work with a group of people who don’t have an Ai Pin.

Will it seamlessly allow you to add phone numbers to your smartphone that has a screen? And how do you know if the selfie you took will be worth keeping without checking a screen first?

So many questions.

The people at Humane are confident all these minor glitches will be overcome with a little practice on the device. Below is a promotional video and a link to help answer some of these questions.

Ai Pin and accessories start at $699, plus $24 a month for a cellular plan through T-Mobile. Humane will start taking orders for Ai Pin on November 16 and will start shipping in early 2024.

Just in time for Christmas.

read more at www.theverge.com

find more at mashable.com