Palm screens and Tamagotchis: the race to create devices that go beyond mobile | Trends | Project

For the world’s tech giants, using artificial intelligence (AI) in devices is nothing new. Companies such as Amazon, Samsung, Apple or Microsoft claim to have worked with tools such as machine learning (machine learning) for over ten years. What has changed is the degree of complexity in how these programs interact with users, especially with the launch of platforms like ChatGPT. In this spirit several startups added fuel to the debate by arguing that smartphones and virtual assistants will soon be replaced by new devices that will put artificial intelligence at the center.

Companies are introducing artificial intelligence into glasses, watches and all kinds of products. However, there are devices that go much further. One of the newest and most attention-grabbing in the industry is “AI Pin” from the American company Humane. The device, developed in collaboration with Microsoft and OpenAI, is a wearable virtual assistant that does not have a screen. Additionally, it includes a microphone and speaker, as well as a touchpad and camera for recording visual information and gestures. It also has its own “unlimited” internet connection and is linked to other devices via Bluetooth (eg headphones).

To interact with the brooch, you can use your voice or manipulate a laser screen that is projected onto your palm, Humane says. The gadget is capable of taking photos or automatically responding to messages. Also perform complex functions such as calculating food calories, translating conversations in real time, summarizing conversations or answering questions like ChatGPT does. However, to view content such as photos or videos in more detail, you need to access a platform called the hub through your computer where all the information is stored.

Its creators are Imran Chaudhry and Bethany Bongiorno, two of the people who developed the iPhone and Apple’s iOS operating system. A spokesperson for Humane told EL PAÍS that the company’s goal is to improve the “human” experience over the digital one by reducing the use of devices with screens. As explained in launch

the brooch collects information from “every aspect of our lives” through daily interactions. Using this data, AI can “learn” a user’s habits to create personalized “AI experiences” and solve problems without the need for a mobile phone or apps. At this point, the company hasn’t released details about how these “experiences” will work, but they will be tied to its own operating system called Cosmos.

The company began an aggressive marketing campaign to position itself. In fact, the brooch was showcased by supermodel Naomi Campbell during Paris Fashion Week 2023; and will be presented at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week. The device will go on sale in the US in April, and the expected price will be $699 (about 650 euros), but you will also have to pay a monthly subscription of $24 (about 22 euros) for the services. Representative launch indicates that they do not currently have a release date in Europe.

Tamagotchi as a helper

This gadget is not the only one of its kind. The American company Rabbit in January introduced its R1 device, a virtual assistant and “pocket companion” created with the help of the famous design firm Teenage Engineering. This is a device whose appearance is inspired by Tamagotchi from Bandai, popular in the 2000s, had 40,000 pre-sale orders when it launched. Unlike Humane, this project has a screen (4.88 inches), and its creators present it as a logical continuation of virtual assistants and mobile phones. In this regard, they claim that he is capable of doing anything. smartphone, but also for identifying objects in real time or performing complex functions such as buying an airline ticket yourself. Control is carried out via touch screen and voice commands.

Rabbit suggests that R1 is a necessary response to the complexity of interfaces. According to the company, the logic of the device is simple: it uses artificial intelligence models to make its system “learn” to work with existing programs. Thus, it allows users to easily and quickly interact with mobile applications using voice or resolve their queries through automated web searches. In fact, its creators promise that in the future you can be personally taught how to use almost any program through a “web-based training mode.”

“We’ve reached a point where we have hundreds of complexly designed apps on our phones that don’t interact with each other. As a result, end users become frustrated with their devices and are often lost,” company founder Jesse Liu said in January. At the time, they also said that the device would cost $199 (about 183 euros), although more than one industry analyst estimated that this figure would not be enough to make their business sustainable unless additional payments were included, as is the case with the Human assistant.

Beyond mobile devices

Big tech companies are also looking to make the most of this technology. For example, in September 2023, Meta announced that it would include its new artificial intelligence assistant (Meta AI) in a smart glasses project they are pursuing with the Ray Ban brand. According to Mark Zuckerberg’s company, this add-on will allow you to control various functions of the glasses through your voice, as well as ask them questions.

David Alonso, director of Samsung’s mobile business in Spain and Portugal, explains to EL PAÍS that some of its devices already have a processor dedicated to these functions. The company recently announced that its “mobile AI” will be present on both phones and tablets, and that it will provide features such as real-time call transfer, generative AI image editing, or web search. Alonso argues that the concept of an “ecosystem” will gain value with the advent of AI, as this technology will connect devices as diverse as tablets, watches, TVs or home appliances.

Alonso also emphasizes that this is the first generation of devices in which artificial intelligence is a priority, and he does not think that possible new devices will displace the ones that currently rule the market. “They’ve been killing mobile phones for years. Many forums talk about his disappearance. But what we see day after day is that smartphone It is more alive than ever and is an essential tool. Now, with these new AI capabilities, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era of telephony that will go far beyond the device or screen,” says a Samsung executive. In this context, Alonso adds that AI not only helps personalize experiences, but also makes devices more accessible and inclusive for people with visual impairments, as well as more sustainable in terms of energy consumption.

Beyond Devices

According to Andres Pazos, senior director of business development for Alexa Spain, the way AI can improve the user experience goes beyond the devices themselves. Pazos told EL PAÍS that an example of how AI is already changing relationships with the real world is how voice commands are bridging the digital divide. The executive emphasizes that increasingly fluid interaction through dialogue allows older adults or those with certain disabilities to more easily and effectively interact with devices without having to learn commands or interact with a screen. Pazos says artificial intelligence played a key role in this process, as it allowed devices to learn to interpret different modes of speech to handle user requests.

Another example is the so-called “smart real estate” (smart properties) that, with the help of assistants like Alexa, allow you to interact with your voice across different spaces. The technology is already being rolled out in hotels in Spain to allow guests to request recommendations, room service or dry cleaning services. In the short term, the hope is that factors such as lighting and room temperature can be controlled and save guests time. For Pazos, the future is AI that functions as a “brain,” connecting to a network of devices to provide each user with a personalized experience and even anticipate their needs.

For the Amazon executive, the future will be about achieving what he calls “environmental intelligence,” or ensuring that devices make our lives easier by working harmoniously and smoothly through artificial intelligence and connectivity. “We are talking about a step beyond artificial intelligence. It will interact with all services organically, and when they are not needed, they go into the background. That is, it is not necessary to learn how to use devices, but thanks to artificial intelligence, we can interact so naturally that you forget that they are there,” he concludes.