In recent years, a surge of voice-based hardware devices has emerged, designed to enhance companionship, boost productivity, and facilitate personal growth. Among these innovative products 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. These devices aim to provide users with convenient and effective ways to interact with technology through voice.
Now, two former Meta employees, who specialized in interface design, have founded a startup named Sandbar. Their flagship product is the Stream ring, which has been created for purposes similar to those of the previously mentioned devices. The company describes the Stream ring as “a mouse for voice,” as it enables users to take notes, engage with an AI assistant, and control their music effortlessly.
Sandbar’s CEO, Mina Fahmi, boasts a rich background in designing human-computer interfaces. His experience includes working at Bryan Johnson’s Kernel and later at the smart glasses startup Magic Leap. Partnering with him is Kirak Hong, Sandbar’s CTO, who previously worked at Google and CTRL-Labs, where the two innovators first met. Following Meta’s acquisition of CTRL-Labs in 2019, their expertise contributed to the development of neural interfaces for Meta's smart wearables.
Reflecting on the inception of the Stream ring, Fahmi shared that the advent of large language models inspired him to create an experimental journaling app. However, he quickly realized that the app itself became a barrier to effectively capturing his thoughts. Drawing from his extensive experience in hardware interface design, he began to explore the concept of a conversational hardware interface.
“A lot of my ideas bubble up when I’m walking or when I’m commuting, and I don’t want to pull out my phone to interrupt that moment,” Fahmi explained during an interview with TechCrunch. “Kirak and I were trying to understand what it would take to actually capture a thought the moment it bubbles up. That’s how we came up with Stream.”
The Stream ring is designed to be worn on the index finger of your dominant hand. It features built-in microphones and a touchpad that facilitate seamless interaction. During a virtual demonstration, Fahmi showcased how users can record their thoughts by pressing and holding the touchpad, with the microphone activating only with this gesture.
Remarkably, the microphone is sensitive enough to pick up whispers, which are then transcribed in the companion iOS app. Similar apps, such as Wispr Flow and Willow, also enable users to capture their thoughts quietly. The Stream app includes an AI chatbot that engages in conversation with users as they record their thoughts, allowing for organized notes that can be edited by either the user or the AI.
To enhance user experience, Sandbar has integrated a personalization layer, ensuring that the assistant’s voice closely resembles the user’s own. In crowded environments, users can wear headphones to maintain privacy while conversing with the assistant. Without headphones, the ring provides haptic feedback to confirm that a note has been successfully registered, enabling users to add to-dos, jot down notes, or check off items on a grocery list discreetly.
Beyond its voice capabilities, the Stream ring’s flat surface doubles as a media controller, allowing users to play, pause, skip tracks, and adjust volume. While many headphones offer similar functionalities, the Stream ring stands out as a practical solution for scenarios where your hands are occupied or during transit.
Sandbar is set to open pre-orders for the Stream ring, with prices starting at $249 for the silver version and $299 for gold. The company aims to begin shipping by next summer. Additionally, a Pro subscription tier will be available, offering unlimited chats, notes, and early access to new features for $10 per month, following a complimentary three-month period for pre-order customers.
Fahmi emphasized the importance of user control over data, stating that Sandbar ensures encryption both at rest and in transit, regardless of the subscription tier. The company prioritizes transparency and plans to support data exports to popular apps such as Notion, further enhancing user flexibility.
Sandbar has successfully raised $13 million in funding from notable investors including True Ventures, Upfront Ventures, and Betaworks. Toni Schneider from True Ventures expressed initial skepticism regarding AI devices, as previous demos had failed to impress him. However, after witnessing the Stream demo, he recognized its potential, stating, “I think a lot of people would agree that voice and AI go really well together.”
As competition in the voice-AI hardware market intensifies, with many innovators exploring rings as a viable form factor, Fahmi remains focused on ensuring that Stream serves as an interface for users to articulate their ideas while maintaining complete control. With its innovative design and user-centric features, the Stream ring represents a significant step forward in the evolution of voice-based technology.
