The smart ring market is stirring, and not just because of the imminent launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. VTouch, a company touting its expertise in AI and deep learning, is also making waves with its latest release, the WIZPR RING.
Claiming to be the world's first smart wearable ring that enables discreet voice commands, the WIZPR RING has snagged the CES 2024 Innovation Award, but can it really deliver on its promises, or is it just another flashy tech gimmick?
Interest in product-based AI assistants such as the Rabbit R1 has shown us there is an appetite for gadgets that can help people organise their lives better with the distraction that inevitably arises when using smartphones.
SJ Kim, founder and co-CEO of VTouch, paints a rosy picture of a future where conversational computing reigns supreme: "With WIZPR RING, we aim to realise a conversational computing environment where you can interact with AI by talking to it with your voice anytime, anywhere, without having to look at a screen."
WIZPR RING Specs
Materials: Titanium, Epoxy resin Battery life: up to 90 hours Continuous voice input: 14 hours Battery with case: up to 22 days (continuous voice 3 days) Available sizes: 6-13 Colors: Black, Silver Weight: 4 grams Water-resistance: IPX4
Key features of the WIZPR RING include voice conversations with AI, multilingual support (English, French, German, Spanish, Korean and Japanese), contextual chats with AI assistants, IoT device control, a voice chat messenger, and an emergency SOS system.
The ring is said to activate instantly and automatically when brought close to the mouth, offering a seamless experience. It responds to proximity voice, proximity whisper, and normal speech without needing a button press.
According to VTouch, the WIZPR RING leverages advanced AI to filter out background noise and respond only to close-range speech—a feat that would indeed be groundbreaking if true.
From what we can tell, the WIZPR RING does away with the health and fitness side of things and can't track sleep or workouts like the Oura Ring Gen 3 or the Ultrahuman Ring Air. The wearable seems to be focusing solely on its AI-assistant capabilities.
As with any new tech release, the proof is in the pudding. While the concept of the WIZPR RING is undeniably intriguing, only time will tell if it lives up to the lofty expectations set by its creators and the wearable market as a whole.
WIZPR RING comes in eight sizes and is currently available for pre-order through a crowdfunding campaign. As an early bird supporter, you can secure the unit for $139 (MSRP of $199).
