5 hi-tech rings that will help you keep your finger on the pulse – and improve productivity
- The lightweight wearables can sense arteries in fingers and record useful physiological data such as your heart rate and sleep quality
- Some earlier smart jewellery offerings suffered technical problems and budgeting woes, but successful crowdfunding has renewed interest in new devices
Hi-tech wearables have exploded on the market in recent years, promising consumers ever more functionality that supposedly helps monitor their health and productivity.
Alongside the smartwatch, smart rings are a growing trend for those people seeking technology that is as useful as it is fashionable.
Many of these rings have an accompanying app that syncs with the ring, making it easy to read and compare the metrics being tracked.
Your fingers contain arteries that can provide a useful snapshot of your overall health. Smart rings are designed to sense these arteries and synthesise this information into useful physiological data.
Slim and sleek, these smart rings are the most lightweight wearables on the market – making them really easy to use in bed, the gym, swimming pools, or during business meetings.
Technology companies haven’t always had an easy time getting smart rings right. Certain rings failed to make it to market because of technical difficulties and budget problems.
However, things are starting to change. Recent successful crowdfunding campaigns and renewed interest in these devices have changed the game and brought an array of exciting new smart rings to the market.
ORII, for example, has raised nearly US$500,000 on Kickstarter and generated growing excitement around the “first voice-powered ring”, which offers an array of unique communication features.
Here are five others that are disrupting the smart jewellery industry and also enhancing users’ productivity and health.
1. Motiv Ring
What it promises
Ready to track just about anything? Then check out the Motiv Ring, a new option that monitors things such as steps, distance, activity, calories, heart rate and sleep quality.
Its optical heart-rate monitor and three-axis accelerometer mean it’s designed with some of the top technology on the market and its WalkID biometric authentication system ensures your ring is always safe from theft.
Its long battery life, Bluetooth integration, iPhone and Android support and water resistance only add to the appeal, making this among the most versatile, customer-friendly options on the market.
How it looks
The Motiv Ring’s various titanium finishes – such as rose gold, slate grey and silver – bring a new standard of style to the smart jewellery market.
The X factor
The ring’s lightweight size and stylish design helps it stand out from the crowd. At only 8 millimetres (0.3 inch) wide and weighing about 3 grams (0.1 ounce), the Motiv Ring is perfect for those who want to ditch bulky devices and track while they exercise or simply go about their typical day.
Of course, you can’t read your stats off a ring of that size, which is why the Motiv Ring can be paired up with the Motiv 24/7 app, available for Apple and Android. This app puts all of your stats in one easy-to-read place.
2. Oura Ring
What it promises
Oura Health, a Finnish technology platform dedicated to improving users’ sleep quality, has entered the smart ring industry with a device that delivers comprehensive biometric tracking.
Its Oura Ring is uniquely data-driven and focused on helping you maximise the time you spend in deep sleep – a cornerstone of good health that is sometimes taken for granted during our busy, on-the-go lives.
How it looks
Like most smart rings, the Oura Ring stands out from other wearables because of how small and lightweight it is.
Although its modern metallic design might not draw lots of attention, the fact that such a small device on your finger can track so much data is pretty exceptional.
The X factor
Want to know how well last night’s sleep prepared you for the day? The Oura Ring monitors your sleep quality and assesses a variety of health signals to give you a daily readiness score.
The score lets you know how well you slept and how you can improve your sleep quality in future. For instance, if you want to get more “deep sleep”, Oura suggests adjusting the lighting in your room, setting the correct room temperature and keeping a consistent bedtime.
Once you test these sleep-promoting habits, you can track the impact of these lifestyle changes by monitoring the Deep Sleep tab on the Oura Ring app.
The ring has users in more than 70 countries, including those at several top universities, research organisations and sleep clinics.
3. Blinq Ring
A luxury smart ring collection that gained traction on Kickstarter, a Blinq Ring is perfect for those people who want a function-rich device that’s also gorgeous and indistinguishable from a fine piece of jewellery.
How it looks
With the widest range of aesthetic choices on the smart ring market, this Montreal-based start-up offers seven different gemstones and 12 different ring styles, from sterling silver to 12-carat gold. As ring sizes range from 5 to 10, a Blinq Ring will fit a variety of users.
The X factor
The Blinq Ring is not only nice to look at, but also offers an array of features that put it at the forefront of security and fitness. A state-of-the-art SOS alert system is built into the Blinq Ring, which enables you to easily notify friends or family in case of an emergency.
Afraid you have an intruder in the house? Just tap your ring repeatedly, and Blinq will send an automated SMS to your emergency contacts, along with your geolocation information.
The ring also sends alerts to the Blinq app, integrating with hundreds of other apps so that you’ll know right away if an Instagram photo’s been liked or the Uber ride you booked has arrived.
Step, distance and calorie tracking round things out on the app’s interface, giving you a clear portrait of your daily activity.
4. LYCOS Life NFC Smart Ring
What it promises
It’s all about easy tapping with LYCOS Life’s ring. By linking your ring to another device, such as a friend’s smartphone, you can transfer messages and share contact information.
Fingerprints, passcodes and ring interaction also add another layer of security to your smart ring so that your private information is kept safe and sound.
How it looks
Available in colours, such as bright orange and coral red, the ring offers an eye-catching design, versatility and exciting functionality.
The X factor
Built-in productivity designs help this LYCOS ring stand out. Want to quickly transfer your business card to a client? It’s as simple as a tap of the ring. Need to share directions to a restaurant where you are meeting others? That’s also just a tap away.
So while this smart ring doesn’t offer much in terms of biometrics, it’s specifically designed to boost your productivity and it’s quick tap-based functionality is unique in the wearable market.
5. ChiTronic Magic smart ring
What it promises
Although the ChiTronic Magic smart ring doesn’t boast the most storage space, the low-cost ring is still a great option for sending emails and sharing links simply by touching your ring to a friend’s phone.
With its iPhone and Android integration, this ring can connect with a variety of apps to give you the information you need wherever your day takes you.
While this ring isn’t as feature-rich as other smart rings, it’s hard not to be impressed with the ChiTronic’s capabilities given its low price.
How it looks
The ring has an eye-catching design. Atop the minimalistic black or white finish is a small cubic zirconia gem, which strikes a perfect balance between luxuriousness and tastefulness.
The X factor
Perhaps the most magical part of the ChiTronic Magic smart ring is its impressive price. At only about US$20, this good looking ring is one of the best value offerings on the market and certainly cheaper than almost any smartwatch out there.
By bringing together valuable health data, productivity assistance and enviable style, it’s clear that smart rings are here to stay.
They also show how emerging technologies are transforming and diversifying this marketing – meaning there’s a smart ring out there that can suit your unique needs.