Bearing some similarities to Tolkien’s One Ring (in that it can control everything), Fin is a wearable that means to become the ultimate gesture based control device.
The hunt for new types of interfaces is never over, and the prevalence of wearable tech certainly helps push things forward. Of course, the main focus is on smart glasses and smartwatches, but rings haven’t been neglected either. Some come with NFC, others with integrated displays, but Fin does more than that. It is actually able to control smartphones, smart TVs and even car radios, provided that they support Bluetooth connectivity.
Here is how the company describes its own product: “Fin is a real life buddy for every individual to do their digital interactions as natural as possible. Fin is a trendy gadget you can wear on the thumb and make your whole palm as a digital touch interface.”
More than a fashion accessory, Fin also acts as a security authenticator. It is waterproof, dust proof and durable, so wearers shouldn’t worry about breaking it. The ring includes a microUSB port used for charging, and I assume that the port is somehow covered to make the product waterproof. The Li-Ion battery is meant to last up to one month, but that shouldn’t be surprising, given the energy requirements of this little gadget.
Rohildev Nattukallingal, founder of the Koch-based RHL Vision Technologies, the developer of the Fin ring, explained the new for a new way of interacting with our gadgets: “People in today’s world are becoming more busy, but still they are wasting a lot of time interacting with their smart devices. Fin removes this interaction gap by allowing users to quickly interact with those devices.”
RHL Vision Technologies is looking for funding on Indiegogo, and set a goal of $100,000. Till now, they’ve raised $24K, and there are 17 days left. As for how much you need to contribute to make sure you get a Fin ring, there are several options: $79 gets you a developer edition with only 5 gestures, while $99 secures a ring for early birds. Various combos and bundles are available for more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBPAAFKiGj8
The following video even explains how Fin could be used to help visually impaired people to interact with technology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi7evaeOSCs
Given the high number of blind people in India, the country where this product was developed, emphasizing such features is completely understandable.
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