A growing selection of voice-based hardware devices has emerged, designed to enhance companionship, boost productivity, and foster personal growth. Among these innovative gadgets are card-shaped devices from Plaud and Pocket, pendants from Friend, Limitless, and Taya, and a wristband from Bee, which is now part of Amazon. In this dynamic landscape, two former Meta employees have introduced a groundbreaking startup named Sandbar, which has created a unique ring called Stream, serving similar purposes.
Sandbar’s Stream ring is referred to as “a mouse for voice.” This innovative device allows users to take notes, interact effortlessly with an AI assistant, and control music playback—all through simple voice commands. The CEO of Sandbar, Mina Fahmi, boasts a rich background in designing human-computer interfaces, having previously worked at Bryan Johnson’s Kernel and the smart glasses startup Magic Leap. His co-founder, Kirak Hong, also brings valuable experience from his tenure at Google and CTRL-Labs, where the duo first collaborated. Notably, CTRL-Labs was acquired by Meta in 2019, contributing to developments in neural interfaces for the tech giant’s smart wearables.
Fahmi shared that the inception of Stream was sparked by his experiences with large language models and an experimental journaling app he developed. He found traditional app interfaces to be a barrier to capturing spontaneous thoughts. “A lot of my ideas bubble up when I’m walking or commuting, and I don’t want to pull out my phone to interrupt that moment,” he explained in an interview with TechCrunch. “That’s how we came up with Stream.”
The Stream ring is designed to be worn on the index finger of your dominant hand and features both microphones and a touchpad. During a virtual demonstration, Fahmi showcased how easily he could record his thoughts by pressing and holding the touchpad. The microphone is activated solely by this gesture, ensuring privacy. Impressively, it can pick up whispers and transcribe them via the companion iOS app.
In addition to Stream, other apps like Wispr Flow and Willow also facilitate quiet thought-capturing. Stream’s app integrates an AI chatbot that engages users in conversation while they record their ideas. Users can neatly organize their thoughts into notes that can be edited either by them or the AI. The app's functionality includes pinch-to-zoom capabilities, allowing users to revisit discussions over days or weeks. Furthermore, Sandbar has implemented a personalization feature, enabling the assistant’s voice to reflect the user's own tone.
For those in bustling environments, headphones can be used for private conversations with the assistant. In situations where headphones aren’t practical, the ring provides haptic feedback to confirm note registration, allowing users to add to-do lists, take notes, or check items off a grocery list discreetly. Beyond voice capabilities, the ring's flat surface also functions as a media controller, enabling users to play, pause, skip tracks, and adjust volume—all without needing to reach for their phone.
Sandbar is set to open pre-orders for the Stream ring on Wednesday, priced at $249 for the silver version and $299 for gold. The company aims to commence shipping by next summer. A Pro subscription tier is available, which offers unlimited chats and notes, along with early access to new features. This subscription is free for the first three months for those who preorder, then $10 per month thereafter. Fahmi emphasized that users maintain full control over their data at every tier, with encryption provided both at rest and in transit.
Sandbar has successfully raised $13 million in funding from notable investors including True Ventures, Upfront Ventures, and Betaworks. Toni Schneider, a partner at True Ventures, expressed initial skepticism about AI devices until he witnessed the demo of Stream. “A lot of people would agree that voice and AI go really well together. Having a phone or laptop to interact with AI can feel cumbersome when all you need is voice,” he stated.
As competition intensifies in the voice-AI hardware space, many developers are exploring rings as a viable form factor. However, Fahmi envisions Stream not merely as an assistant or a companion but as an interface that allows users to express their ideas freely while retaining complete control. With this innovative approach, Sandbar aims to redefine how we interact with technology and capture our thoughts in the moment.
