Khaberni - The startup "Sandbar," led by former founders at "Meta," has launched a smart ring called "Stream Ring" that utilizes artificial intelligence to enable users to record their spontaneous thoughts via whispering and to hold conversations with an "inner voice" that mimics their personal sound, creating a sensation that they are talking to themselves.
The device comes as a "self-extension" tool for organizing daily thoughts, retailing at $249 USD, with shipping starting in the summer of 2026, according to a report published by "Fast Company" magazine.
Specifications of the Ring
The ring features a sleek design in silver or gold, with a small touch panel that acts as an activation button, where the device only listens when continuously pressed, similar to a walkie-talkie, ensuring privacy.
Users can record short voice notes anywhere, even in crowded areas, where the artificial intelligence converts them into structured, indexed texts, with the ability to control music via gestures.
According to "Wired," "Stream" is classified as an intermediary between traditional note apps and chatbots, designed to help users naturally build their thoughts without needing to raise their voices.
The most innovative aspect is the "inner voice" feature, which generates a digital voice that mimics the user's tone and speech style after recording an initial voice sample, allowing for interactive conversations that seem like a self-dialogue.
Users can choose a generic voice if they prefer not to have the sensation of talking to themselves, as "CNET" explained, noting that this feature transforms the ring into an "interface for thoughts," where the voice reads notes aloud in the user's own voice to enhance focus and creativity.
Heated Controversy
The release has sparked a debate about data privacy, as the ring relies on cloud processing for artificial intelligence, but the company insists on encrypting personal notes.
In a statement to "The Verge" on November 5, the device was described as designed for "capturing thoughts in the moment" as a tool for self-extension, with the ability to record full conversations and transform them into to-do lists or interconnected ideas.
"Gizmodo," in its report, highlighted that the technology causes a sensation of talking to oneself through a conversational layer that appears natural, helping to develop ideas in an intuitive manner.
