Bengaluru and San Francisco-based startup Aina has unveiled an AI-powered smart ring priced at $499 (approximately ₹47,000), designed to simplify everyday interactions with artificial intelligence agents. The device combines a colour display, voice commands and gesture-based controls, allowing users to manage tasks such as booking cabs, sending messages and handling meetings through minimal interactions.
Unveiled at a private launch event in Bengaluru, the ring is available for pre-order at an early-bird price starting at $399 (approximately ₹37,700). Commercial shipments are expected to begin in January 2027.
Unlike conventional smart rings that primarily focus on health and fitness tracking, Aina is positioning its product as an interface between users and AI agents, with a focus on anticipating everyday needs and reducing dependence on smartphones.
Aina Smart Ring Features Cues, Voice and Remote Controls
The smart ring is built around three primary interaction features: Cues, Voice and Remote.
Cues uses contextual information, including user routines and connected applications, to anticipate actions that users may want to perform. For instance, if a user regularly books a cab at a particular time, the ring can suggest booking a ride without requiring an explicit request.
The company demonstrated a ride-booking interaction at its launch event, highlighting how users could approve or reject suggestions through a five-way joystick-like control called the Shifter. The control allows users to interact with the device using their thumb without reaching for their smartphones.
According to Aina, its context-aware intelligence can learn user routines and anticipate relevant actions over the next 15 minutes, drawing information from connected devices and services, including the iPhone and Mac.
The Voice feature enables users to dictate notes, set reminders, send messages and issue commands. The company also demonstrated integrations involving WhatsApp, Telegram and Mac dictation through Wispr Flow.
The third feature, Remote, allows the ring to function as a controller for connected devices. Users can manage music, phone calls, smart home appliances and meeting controls through the device.
Titanium Body, Colour Display and 18-Hour Battery Life
According to specifications shared at the launch, the Aina smart ring weighs less than 13 grams and features a titanium body, full-colour display, haptic feedback and directional audio.
The company claims that the device offers up to 18 hours of battery life. It will be available in four colour options: Eclipse Black, Amber Gold, Mercury Silver and Slate Titanium, across seven sizes.
Aina has also announced plans for an open developer platform that will allow third-party developers to create additional interactions and integrations. The company showcased support for AI agent platforms, including Muse, Grokbot and Instinct.
The device currently supports iOS and Mac, with additional integrations expected to be announced later.
Apoorv Shankar Founded Aina After His Stint at Ultrahuman
Aina was founded by Apoorv Shankar, who previously served as Vice-President of Hardware at Bengaluru-based wearable technology company Ultrahuman.
Shankar established Aina in May 2025 as a human-computer interaction lab focused on developing new ways for people to interact with intelligent software beyond conventional screens and keyboards.
The startup raised $5.5 million in seed funding in July 2026. The round was led by Redstart Labs and 360 ONE Asset, with participation from MIXI Global Investments, Antler, Blume Founders Fund and angel investors, including CRED founder Kunal Shah and Razorpay co-founders Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar.
The funding was earmarked for commercialising its AI-first hardware interface and expanding its engineering and product teams. Aina said it spent approximately 15 months developing the technology and began testing the ring with a limited group of users in October 2026.
Can Aina Make AI Agents a Part of Everyday Life?
Aina’s launch comes amid growing interest in AI-powered hardware and agent-based technology. As AI agents become increasingly capable of handling everyday tasks, companies are exploring new interfaces that can make these interactions simpler and more accessible.
However, the smart ring enters the market at a premium price point of $499, competing for consumer attention with smartphones and smartwatches that already offer several similar functionalities.
Its adoption will depend on how accurately its AI anticipates user requirements, the reliability of its third-party integrations and the ease of using its gesture-based controls in everyday situations.
With commercial shipments expected to begin in January 2027, the product’s performance among actual users will determine whether Aina can establish the smart ring as a practical interface for AI-powered interactions.
-By: Aakriti Jaiswal
