Stream Smart Ring: Voice Notes & Music Control - Former Meta Employees

The Rise of Voice-Activated Hardware and the Introduction of Stream

A growing number of voice-controlled devices are being developed, targeting areas like companionship, productivity enhancement, and personal development. Examples include the card-like devices from Plaud and Pocket, pendants offered by Friend, Limitless, and Taya, and the Bee wristband – now integrated within Amazon’s product line.

Sandbar Launches Stream: A Voice-Focused Ring

Now, Sandbar, a new startup founded by two former Meta employees specializing in interface design, has entered the market with Stream, a smart ring designed for similar applications. The company positions Stream as “a mouse for voice,” enabling note-taking, AI assistant interaction, and music control.

The Team Behind Stream

Sandbar’s CEO, Mina Fahmi, possesses significant experience in human-computer interface design. His career includes roles at Bryan Johnson’s Kernel and the smart glasses company, Magic Leap. Kirak Hong, Sandbar’s CTO, previously worked at Google and then at CTRL-Labs, where the two founders first collaborated.

Meta acquired CTRL-Labs in 2019, and the resulting research contributed to the development of neural interfaces for the tech giant’s wearable technology.

From Journaling App to Conversational Hardware

Fahmi explained that, upon the emergence of large language models, he initially created an experimental journaling application. However, he discovered that the app itself hindered the spontaneous capture of thoughts.

Leveraging his expertise in hardware interfaces, he shifted his focus towards exploring a conversational hardware solution. He aimed to create a device that wouldn’t interrupt moments of inspiration.

“Ideas often arise during activities like walking or commuting, and I didn’t want to reach for my phone. Similarly, I didn’t want to vocalize my thoughts publicly through earbuds,” Fahmi shared with TechCrunch. “Kirak and I sought a method to capture a thought precisely when it occurs, leading to the creation of Stream.”

Stream’s Design and Functionality

The Stream ring is designed to be worn on the index finger of the dominant hand and incorporates both microphones and a touch pad.

During a demonstration, Fahmi showcased the ring’s ability to record thoughts by pressing and holding the touch pad. The microphone remains inactive by default, only activating with this specific gesture.

The microphone demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to capture whispers and accurately transcribe them within the companion iOS application. Similar functionality is offered by other applications like Wispr Flow and Willow.

AI Integration and Data Management

Stream’s application features an integrated AI chatbot that engages in conversation while you record your thoughts. These recordings can be organized into individual notes, which can be edited by either the user or the AI.

The app also provides a zoomable timeline, allowing users to review their recorded thoughts over days or weeks. Sandbar has implemented a personalization feature, tailoring the assistant’s voice to resemble the user’s own.

In noisy environments, users can utilize headphones for private conversations with the assistant. Without headphones, the ring provides haptic feedback to confirm successful note registration, enabling discreet to-do list management or grocery list updates.

Beyond Voice: Media Control

In addition to voice capabilities, the ring’s flat surface functions as a media controller, allowing users to play, pause, skip tracks, and adjust volume. This offers an alternative to controls often found on headphones, particularly when hands are occupied or during travel.

Pricing and Availability

Preorders for Stream begin Wednesday, priced at $249 for the silver version and $299 for gold. Sandbar anticipates shipping to begin next summer.

A Pro subscription tier, initially free for three months for pre-order customers, will then cost $10 per month, providing unlimited chats, notes, and early access to new features.

Fahmi emphasized the company’s commitment to user data control, ensuring encryption both during storage and transmission. He also stated Sandbar’s intention to support data exports to applications like Notion, avoiding a closed ecosystem.

Funding and Industry Perspective

Sandbar has secured $13 million in funding from True Ventures, Upfront Ventures, and Betaworks.

Toni Schneider, a partner at True Ventures, initially held reservations about AI devices, finding previous demonstrations unimpressive. However, Stream’s demo changed his perspective.

“Many agree that voice and AI complement each other well, and interacting with AI via a phone or laptop can be cumbersome when voice is sufficient. Therefore, a new form factor is needed,” Schneider explained to TechCrunch. “We evaluated numerous options, and Stream was the one that truly resonated.”

Competition and Future Outlook

The voice-AI hardware market is highly competitive, with numerous companies exploring ring-based form factors. Fahmi clarified that Stream is not intended to be an assistant or companion, but rather a tool for users to express and capture their ideas with complete control.

Despite the challenges in achieving mainstream adoption for AI hardware – exemplified by Humane’s sale to HP, Rabbit’s software updates, and Friend’s response to user feedback – Sandbar must demonstrate that its ring offers a unique and valuable experience compared to pendants, pins, or wristbands.