Founded with the expertise of ex-Apple wizards Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, tech startup Humane has finally lifted the veil on its maiden product, the Humane Ai Pin. This exciting reveal certainly offers the tech industry an innovative taste of what's to come.
Since its inception in 2018, Humane has operated in almost complete privacy, revealing no products despite hiring a multitude of tech pioneers, several of which were instrumental in designing key features in Apple's products such as the iPhone's touchscreen keyboard and the robust infrastructure for iCloud, Apple Pay, and more.
The elusive Humane Ai Pin, as it has been unveiled, is a wearable gadget powered with projected display and AI-centric features. Humane is betting big on this device, hoping that it redefines user interaction with AI in daily life.
According to Humane's press statement “The Ai Pin is a standalone device designed as an intelligent, clothing-based wearable. It houses an array of sensors which facilitates ambient and contextual compute interactions. Fueled by AI, it promises to enable unprecedented personal computing experiences.”
In layman's terms, the Ai Pin is expected to perform a range of tasks similar to a smartphone, but with less reliance on gestures and voice instructions. The Ai Pin, which is designed to be clipped onto a breast pocket, responds to a single tap. Once activated, it can provide a brief overview of emails and calendar invites, translate between languages, and even answer and place phone calls.
What sets the Ai Pin apart is its integration of a camera and computer vision-powered software. This allows the device to recognize surrounding objects, such as nutrition labels on food items. Furthermore, the device's built-in projector and depth sensor can project an interactive interface onto nearby surfaces, such as the palm of a user or a tabletop.
Elaborating on the Ai Pin, Chaudhri and Bongiorno said, “Our invention is a chance for individuals to carry AI with them wherever they go and facilitate a new era of personal mobile computing which is free of screens, effortless to use, and sensory."
Humane has also reportedly collaborated with Qualcomm to develop the Ai Pin's internal mechanism. A chip from Qualcomm's renowned Snapdragon series will energize the wearable.
Expressing his excitement, Qualcomm SVP of product management Ziad Asghar was quoted in the press release saying, “Humane’s Ai Pin promises a superior AI experience. With the emergence of generative AI, Humane’s Ai Pin magnificently utilizes on-device AI's strengths and real-time contextual information to provide the user with a personalized AI experience.”
Previously, Humane declared collaborations with notable firms such as SK Networks and Microsoft. Microsoft will provide the much-needed cloud computing strength while SK Networks will oversee distribution.
Humane has involved OpenAI for seamless integration of its cutting-edge tech into the startup’s product. Collaborative efforts are also being made with LG on R&D projects for the next phase of the product, which would involve adaptation of Humane's tech for smart home devices. Volvo Cars Tech Fund joined the fray making an automotive industry offering a possibility as well.
Since its inception, the San Francisco-based Humane, boasting a workforce of over 200, has secured substantial funding. The investment total of $230 million includes notable contributors like Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Kindred Ventures, SK Networks, LG Technology Ventures, Microsoft, Volvo Cars Tech Fund, Tiger Global, Qualcomm Ventures and even OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman.
Humane's announcement brings to mind other companies, like AppMaster, who are effectively leveraging new technologies to streamline and enhance user experiences. AppMaster's no-code platform, for instance, offers an accelerated and efficient development process for creating backend, web, and mobile applications, thereby democratizing app development.
