The American company founded by two ex-Apple executives unveiled in an upcoming TED conference its “wearable”, an AI-enhanced voice assistant to wear like a pin. A tool that works without a smartphone and allows you to project content on your hand.
The presentation looks like keynote from their former employer. In a TED conference, the American start-up Humane, founded by two former Apple executives, presented its first product ” wearable “: a small voice assistant by artificial intelligence with an integrated projector, in the form of a pin to hang on his jacket.
If the video is not supposed to be released until April 22, several sources including online media Reverseunveiled video clips of this conference in advance, this Friday, April 21. Leaks that corroborate the site’s information Axiospublished two days earlier.
An autonomous assistant without a smartphone
Of the two founders of Humane, Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, only the latter was present on the stage of the TED conference. In front of the public who came to listen to him talk about the relationship between humans and technology, the president of the start-up founded in 2018 demonstrated their first product, several details of which had leaked in March 2023:
” Imagine you were in a meeting all day and you just want a summary of what you missed.“. Chaudhri then puts her finger on the small product in the shape of a pin hanging at the level of her heart then asks the assistant to “Update» («catch me up“).
After a few seconds of waiting, an artificial voice summarizes the contents of his unread emails, messages and calendar invitations.
“Catch me up,” a summary of crucial information you may have missed while you were busy, on @humane‘s device. pic.twitter.com/AAIfh2Chfm
—Michael Mofina (@MichaelMofina) April 21, 2023
“It’s completely self-contained. You don’t need a smartphone or any other device to pair it“, specifies the co-founder of Humane. An element which may therefore suggest that the information cited is retrieved via a connection to a storage incloudsadvances the online mediaThe Verge.
Information projected in the palm of your hand
An intriguing first demonstration, because the product goes beyond current technological standards: no touch interface, no keyword “OkayGoogleto summon the voice assistant, just a very small pin with a monochrome screen that is discreet.
The sequel continues to impress. In another video excerpt, the speaker is interrupted by a ringtone… from his portable assistant. He then places his open hand in front of the product, which projects the name of the caller (his wife and colleague Bethany Bongiorno) onto his palm. Imran Chaudhri therefore answers the call, although the video does not show how (and he does not press the “buttonsdisplayed under the projected name).
First demo of the @Humane upcoming AI-powered wearable device. A phone call.
Thanks @ZarifAli9 for sharing! pic.twitter.com/7qyDScPkOh
—Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) April 21, 2023
Another feature highlighted: as mentioned in March 2023, the product is equipped with a camera to identify objects in front of you. The president of Humane also demonstrates this in another excerpt, placing a chocolate bar in front of the pin, which recommends that he not eat it because of his intolerance to cocoa butter.
On-the-fly translation in Quebec
Finally, Imran Chaudhri gives a final demonstration of the product in the last video of the product: the man presses the small pin again then, without asking anything, pronounces a sentence in English… immediately translated into Quebec French by voice of the wizard.
@humane‘s device helping you decide what you can and cannot eat based on knowing your preferences and dietary restrictions. pic.twitter.com/PFwEAsNxDI
—Michael Mofina (@MichaelMofina) April 21, 2023
Equally impressive, this last example nevertheless underlines a point noticed in the other demonstrations: all the intermediate stages and manipulations of the product are not shown, confirming that this presentation is more or less a staged play.
Despite its promises, this technology pin therefore remains a prototype, even if the promise of an AI voice assistant with projector in such a compact format intrigues us enough to closely follow the next stages of its development.
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