Bengaluru consumer-hardware startup Aina has opened pre-orders for an AI-powered smart ring designed to control software agents, phone applications, Macs and connected devices. Super-early-bird pricing begins at $399, with initial shipments planned for January 2027.
Aina was founded by Apoorv Shankar, previously vice-president of hardware at Ultrahuman, and operated in stealth for approximately 15 months. The device combines a display, microphone, speaker, centre button and directional control in a ring-sized interface. It is positioned as a way for users to approve or reject actions proposed by AI agents without repeatedly unlocking a phone.
The system is divided into three principal modes. Aina Voice allows users to connect existing agents, issue instructions, dictate notes and respond when an agent needs approval. The speaker and microphone also support calls initiated through voice commands.
Aina Cues uses information from a connected phone, Mac, calendar, location and linked agents to predict actions a user may need next. The company describes examples such as surfacing a transport-booking shortcut near the time a user normally leaves for work. Users can approve or dismiss each proposed action.
Aina Remote adapts controls to the active task. During music playback, it can become a media remote; during a meeting, it can surface microphone, camera and notetaking controls. The ring builds on lessons from Mirage, an earlier three-key controller that mapped buttons to functions in Mac applications.
The product enters a wearable-AI category in which hardware companies are experimenting with alternatives to the smartphone as the principal agent interface. Aina’s approach retains a visible screen and explicit user approval, rather than relying entirely on continuous voice interaction. Its commercial performance will depend on integration coverage, battery life, reliability and whether users consider the approval workflow more convenient than using existing watches or phones.
The company had previously raised $5.5 million and is now moving from development into pre-orders. Shipping remains prospective, and the product has not yet been tested at mass-consumer scale.
