Are You Ready To Swap Your Earbuds For A Voice Powered Smart Ring?

ORII, a smart ring built with the kind of technology that is redefining how users interact with their smartphones, marking a notable shift away from a screen-based world.

Wearables are evolving past being just smartwatches and fitness bands; it seems that, at last, smart rings are now getting a bit more of a look in. I am not talking about your basic intelligent ring; I am talking about a ring that is capable of answering your phone calls. This ring is called ORII. It is a unisex device designed and created by Hong Kong startup, Origami Labs, who last year raised $500,000 in crowdfunding and closed at a substantial total funding of $2.5 million thanks to over 4000 pre-orders from 3000+ backers in 60+countries.

Taking Connectivity To The Next Level

The achievement has made Origami Labs an essential player in the wearables sector that has been forecasted to grow as consumers seek for more comfortable, functional and stylish ways to unlock the capabilities of their smartphones. According to a CCS Insight report, by 2020 we will see the market worth close to $34 billion. Taking connectivity to the next level, ORII represents a move towards voice-based wearables that let users seamlessly communicate with their phones and intelligent voice assistants.

ALSO READ: Token, A Smart Ring On A Mission To Give You Control Of Your Identity

Founded in 2015, by four MBA students from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Origami Labs makes wearable technology solutions for consumers and businesses that make it faster, simpler, and less intrusive to use a smartphone. Based in Hong Kong’s MIT Innovation Node, Origami Labs is a hardware start-up that designs wearable technologies and voice interface software applications for both consumer and business applications.

Founders of Origami LABS

Following their success, Origami Labs has advanced to mass producing rings that promise to turn the wearer’s hand into a smartphone. Using cutting-edge bone conduction technology to transmit sound, means that users can make calls, send messages, or command a voice assistant, such as Siri or Google Assistant, by merely placing their fingertip to their ear. Origami Labs’ technology is redefining how users interact with their smartphones, marking a notable shift away from a screen-based world.

“ORII paves the way for a more screen-free lifestyle while giving you instant on-the-go connection to your smart devices.”

According to ORII CEO Kevin Johan Wong, ORII was designed to make lives simpler yet simultaneously allow the user to be more productive in an age where consumers are tied to their screens. “Designed to become an integral part of your life, ORII paves the way for a more screen-free lifestyle while giving you instant on-the-go connection to your smart devices. Our inspiration came from my dad who has been visually impaired from a young age. He set out to develop a voice and text-based technology to help others like him and is a pioneer in his field with eight patents under his name. Integrating the same technology used in hearing aids, ORII uses bone conduction to send sound discreetly to your ear, creating a device which allows freedom from the screen-based interaction.”

You Can Now Put Your Phone Away While On the Go

Built for everyday life the ORII’s sleek ring works via bone conduction which is typically used in medical-grade hearing devices. ORII’s bone conduction technology delivers clear audio with complete privacy by sending sound vibrations through the finger and directly into the wearer’s ear. The invention also has dual noise-cancelling microphones that let wearers make calls, send messages and access Siri or Google Assistant without needing to take out their phones.

Available in black, grey, silver and red, the ring is unfortunately out of stock, but you can join the priority list, and the startup will notify you once ORII is available again! Join ORII’s mailing list.

Share Your Tips & Corrections

Founding Editor in Chief at FashNerd.com | editor@fashnerd.com | Website

Founding editor-in-chief of FashNerd.com, Muchaneta is currently one of the leading influencers writing about the merger of fashion with technology and wearable technology. She has also given talks at Premiere Vision, Munich Fabric Start and Pure London, to name a few. Besides working as a fashion innovation consultant for various fashion companies like LVMH Atelier, Muchaneta has also contributed to Vogue Business, is a senior contributor at The Interline and an associate lecturer at London College of Fashion, UAL.