Hardware startup Aina has released a smart ring equipped with a screen, a joystick, a microphone, and a speaker to help users interact with AI agents and take calls. Available for preorder starting Thursday at an early-bird price of $399 before rising to $499, the device is scheduled to begin shipping in January 2027. The startup previously raised $5.5 million in July and designed the wearable as a controller for both AI and non-ai applications.
The new ring allows users to send prompts to agents, take notes, set reminders, and dictate text using engines like Wispr Flow. To differentiate itself from competitors like the Pebble Index 01 and Oasis, Aina included a speaker for phone calls, a screen for notifications, a physical joystick, and gesture support. These features enable users to control music, manage smart home devices, and navigate applications on their Mac or phone screens.
Aina founder Apoorv Shankar noted that traditional phone and laptop screens were built for an era of browsing apps, whereas interacting with proactive agents requires a new interface. The hardware joins other specialized devices like experimental keyboards as companies attempt to provide dedicated controllers for users managing multiple AI agents.
This device matters because it introduces a novel wearable interface designed specifically to help users control and interact with proactive AI agents across multiple digital devices.