Now a days there is a Buzz word “AI, or Artificial Intelligence, it is like giving computers the ability to think and learn, somewhat similar to how humans do. Instead of being told what to do step by step, an AI can figure things out on its own, make decisions, and even improve itself over time.” Just like we learn from experiences and adjust our actions based on what we know, AI can learn from data it’s given and make decisions or predictions. For example, if you show it lots of pictures of cats, it can eventually recognize a cat in a new picture on its own. The more data and experiences it gets, the smarter it becomes.” Humane’s AI Pin is such gadget that is designed to used a alternative to mobile phone.
eDITORS vIEW
Hello Friends, as we all know that AI (Artificial Intelligence) based products and services are now becoming part of our life and making our life very easy in this fast world. On November 10, 2023 – Sam Altman-backed startup Humane has recently introduced its first product, Ai Pin, on November 10. This innovative wearable gadget deploys AI technology, offering a unique approach by minimizing user interaction time. Unlike conventional consumer tech products. Ai Pin displayless design, relying instead on voice and laser ink technology to efficiently convey information through an AI chatbot.
Humane’s AI Pin : Overview
Humane’s device, called the Ai Pin, can take photos and send texts, uses a laser to project a visual interface onto a person’s palm, and comes with a virtual assistant that can be as sharp as ChatGPT. By always being ready to search the web and communicate, it is supposed to cut dependency on smartphones. It’s a gadget intended for interfacing with huge language models, not applications, and for talking instead of typing. Yet, it’s not yet altogether clear what you should involve it for.
Team behind Humane’s AI Pin
Tech startup firm Humane, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is all set to release its first project since the inception of the company. Humane will be launching the unique AI Pin, a wearable gadget incorporated with artificial intelligence features.
Humane CEO Bethany Bongiorno is confident of the Pin’s mass appeal, calling it the world’s first contextual computer. “AI now has become something that everyone is curious about and really wants to know how it’s going to change their life,” she says. “We’re offering the first opportunity to bring it with you everywhere.
When Bongiorno and her husband, Imran Chaudhri, founded Humane in 2018 after long spans working on hardware design and software engineering at Apple, they set strict parameters for their product. It needed to be a standalone device connected directly to the cell network, transparent about when it’s recording, and not always listening for wake words like “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” as smart speakers and some phones do. And the whole package should be affordable. “That really set the tone for where we are today,” Bongiorno says.
Humane’s founders view previous wearable devices like smart glasses and AR headsets as barriers to human connection. The Pin is intended to be less invasive, though just as capable, and something people can comfortably wear all day without ruining their hairdo. “We want to have powerful compute with us at all times, and that’s really what it’s about,” says Chaudhri, the company’s president and chairman. “We want access to more knowledge, more information. We just want it in a way that allows us to remain present.”
Features
- Leans heavily into AI (many varieties) to use voice (primarily) to control the device.
- Is about the size of a smartwatch, but there is no screen. It does have a camera.
- Ships with a second battery. Total battery life is unknown and will depend on the use.
- Projects monochrome images (i.e., “Laser Ink Display”) on surfaces such as the palm of your hand to display simple content such as time, text message, temperature, alerts, and more.
- Uses the camera to offer computer vision capabilities (e.g., “How many grams of protein are in the almonds in the palm of my hand?”).
- Depends on an off-device portal for the user to customize the services. The portal is called the Humane.center service.
How AI Pin Works ?
This device consists of candid camera, the Pin is controlled by taps, hand gestures, and voice commands. A double tap with two fingers on the touch pad on the front of the device snaps photos. The same double-tap and then holding that spot records video, but video capability won’t launch until a software update in early 2024.
Tapping the Pin and then moving a palm into its field of view activates its laser, which projects images and text onto a user’s hand at a wavelength that produces a blueish-green tinge, a 720p-resolution system Humane calls a Laser Ink Display.
Tilting the hand navigates between displayed options and a swatting gesture swipes to a different menu. Users “click” on an option by tapping their thumb and index finger together and close their hand briefly to return to a home screen. Chaudhri says controlling the projection is limited to one hand to keep it quick and to prevent the other hand from getting in the way of the projector.
The voice assistant, which Humane names Ai Mic, draws on multiple large language models, including from ChatGPT developer OpenAI. Users tap and hold the Pin to talk to Ai Mic and can ask similar questions to those handled by generative AI chatbots or voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, such as queries about current or historical events, requests for help with language translations, and to order up poems.
The Pin runs on Google’s open source Android operating system, so it should be relatively easy for developers to work with, though Humane has added a number of customizations to the OS.
Chaudhri says while the Pin supports Bluetooth headphones, its built-in speakers are designed to create a bubble of sound around the user that provides an intimate experience when turned down low.
Photos taken with the Pin’s 13-megapixel camera, and automatically enhanced by its algorithms, can be previewed using the palm-top Laser Ink Display. Images appear grainy, and the palm makes for a bumpy and creased screen, but the feature provides a way to check whether a photo shot from the chest captured the correct subject.
The Pin comes with a phone number and also supports international roaming, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Depending on how people end up using the device, Humane could charge additional fees for “capacity,” Chaudhri says. Some services such as unlimited web searches through Ai Mic and unlimited media storage on Microsoft’s cloud are free.
Chaudhri wouldn’t say how long the Pin’s battery pack lasts, but it ships with two of them and he encourages users to keep the spare around in the provided portable charging case for all-day power. The Pin also ships with a proprietary wireless charging pad and an accompanying USB-C charging brick and cable.
AI Pin Tech Specifications
The Ai Pin operates using an undisclosed Snapdragon chipset and an AI engine that is presumed to be GPT-4, even though the specific name is not explicitly stated by the company. However, the press release does acknowledge collaborations with OpenAI and Microsoft, stating, “Humane’s distinctive partnerships with Microsoft and OpenAI grant Ai Pin access to some of the most potent AI models and platforms globally, laying the groundwork for incorporating new capabilities as technology advances.”
Equipped with various sensors, a camera, speaker, microphone, and a laser ink display, the Ai Pin serves as a quasi-smartphone with restricted functionality. Notably, the device prioritizes privacy. Although it includes a camera directed outward, the company asserts that it remains inactive and non-listening unless explicitly activated. Importantly, the device does not even respond to wake words.
The company highlights several features of the Ai Pin, including its ability to compose and send messages and emails without manual typing. Users can effortlessly communicate with the device through voice commands, prompting it to generate draft suggestions displayed on its laser ink screen. The display can be conveniently viewed by extending one’s palm. If the user is dissatisfied, additional prompts can be added to modify the drafts accordingly.
Pros and Cons
The gadget is stylish, and appears as though it has come from Apple. That is on the grounds that both of Empathetic’s organizers – Indian Orignin Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno – are ex-Apple workers. Imran, as Macintosh’s Head of Configuration, created the famous iPhone and iPad.
The AI Pin is a smart tool that does a lot of your tasks: summarise conversations, filter messages to relay only the important ones, send contextual reminders etc. It is a great productivity tool that can help free up our time, and I am assuming when it releases mid-2024, it would come with a host of other features. Since Sam Altman is one of its funder, the AI in it could be powered by ChatGPT.
A significant downside is it must be generally out, pin to your chest consistently. You couldn’t actually put it inside your pocket like in ‘Her’ in light of the fact that its sensors and projection are at the base. It projects messages and notifications to your palm and recognizes hand developments to take and execute orders. It can’t do this, if it’s put inside a pocket.
Can I build services for this device?
No — not yet, at least. The Ai Pin runs on a proprietary operating system (Cosmos) focused on AI. This OS is not yet open to third parties. The introduction of a new device does remind us that the number of digital touchpoints that consumers have to access content and services continues to grow. It also reinforces the importance of more natural or conversational interfaces.
Want to Buy AI Pin?
If you are considering making a purchase, the Ai Pin, inclusive of the battery booster, is priced at $699. Alongside this, there is a monthly charge of $24 for a Humane subscription, offering cellular connectivity, a dedicated number, and data coverage. Currently, this service is exclusively available through T-Mobile in the United States.
The Ai Pin goes on sale November 16 in the US starting at $699, plus $24 monthly for unlimited calling, texting, and data through T-Mobile. Humane revealed the device’s look and basic functions, including web search and object identification, at the TED conference and in a Paris fashion week runway show earlier this year. In addition to announcing pricing and availability today, the company released new details about the Pin’s software and how exactly a laser inside the device turns a person’s hand into a screen. Orders will start shipping in early 2024.
Funding and Investment
The association with OpenAI is evident, particularly due to Sam Altman holding the largest ownership stake of 14 percent in the company. The startup has raised $230 million in funding, including $100 million announced in March reportedly valuing it at $850 million. Humane’s investors include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who holds the largest outside stake at nearly 15 percent; Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff; Microsoft; and the venture arms of LG, Volvo, and Qualcomm.