{"id":610115,"date":"2026-09-08T23:36:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T23:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/610115\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T23:36:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T23:36:14","slug":"from-wearables-to-robots-to-tabletop-trinkets-the-ai-hardware-scene-is-booming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/610115\/","title":{"rendered":"From Wearables to Robots to Tabletop Trinkets, the AI Hardware Scene Is Booming"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stand-alone AI devices didn\u2019t get off to the best of starts. Just to recap, I\u2019m referring to the Humane AI Pin<\/a>, which crashed and burned before it ever really took off, and the Rabbit R1<\/a> minicomputer, which arrived a little underbaked.<\/p>\n

Both devices were products of 2024, and when they failed to live up to the initial hype, it seemed like dedicated AI devices had hit an early dead end. But perhaps we were too quick to write them off. Two years on from their rise and demise, the AI hardware scene is booming.<\/p>\n

Nowhere was this more evident than last week at IFA, the consumer electronics trade show in Berlin that almost functions as a CES preview. Everywhere I looked, there seemed to be small devices built around AI. It felt like the opposite of the early LLM days when tech companies were slapping AI badges on existing products with unconvincing algorithmic claims or tenuous chatbot compatibility. Instead, the products I saw at IFA usually had one specific reason for existing based on a distinct AI use case, such as note-taking, companionship, health or translation.<\/p>\n

What makes something an AI device<\/p>\n

One of the primary factors apparently powering the growth of AI hardware is the shift from straightforward LLMs (chatbots that can answer your questions in natural language) to AI agents (AI that\u2019s capable of understanding context and carrying out tasks on your behalf). This means that today\u2019s AI devices, unlike the early Humane AI Pin model, are more than just search tools that exist outside of your phone screen.<\/p>\n

But aside from these being AI-first devices, it\u2019s hard to define this emerging product category, other than to describe it as hardware that doesn\u2019t neatly fit into an existing box: smartphones, smartwatches, headphones or speakers, for example. There may be elements of crossover, but you can\u2019t directly compare earbuds designed for translation with a standard pair of headphones made primarily for the purpose of listening to music.<\/p>\n

I imagine that, over time, we\u2019ll see some of these product types coalesce and the categories become more clearly defined. At the moment, though, we\u2019re in an AI hardware Wild West. It\u2019s a time of playful, imaginative experimentation. People in the tech world known for pushing the boundaries of design, including former Apple designer Jony Ive and former employees from tech startup Nothing, are getting in on the action, cooking up entirely new products the world has never seen before.<\/p>\n

Ive\u2019s device \u2014 a collaboration with OpenAI \u2014 is rumored to be a doughnut-shaped speaker<\/a> that you can carry around with you. Meanwhile, we already have pins, pendants, earbuds, bands and other accessories. Then there are robots, microphones, credit card-size gadgets and tabletop boxes that are starting to come to fruition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is not necessarily a compelling winner from these factors, but the range of options will be key for more widespread adoption as consumers will demand different ways of using them,\u201d said Ben Hatton, connected devices analyst at FDM CCS Insight. \u201cSomeone that doesn\u2019t wear a lot of jewelry may want a wallet-sized card to carry, while others may prefer a device that clips onto an existing smartwatch band or onto a lapel.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also all very well having an interesting device, but if the underlying AI and software aren\u2019t up to scratch, the product will likely crash and burn. Both AI software and hardware can be solutions to different people\u2019s needs, says Brandon Lutz, head of marketing for Europe at note-taking AI startup Plaud. But, said Lutz, \u201chardware always is going to be a longer solution timeline than the software.\u201d Getting the software right first is more important than coming out with a device, which may need longer to bake.<\/p>\n

Plaud now has three different devices that plug into its AI platform \u2014 a voice recorder that\u2019s small and slim enough to fit into your wallet, a wearable pin and newly announced headphones that can record and transcribe phone calls as well as allow you to interact with your AI agent by speaking. This portfolio alone speaks to Hatton\u2019s point about different people having different preferences.<\/p>\n

Hatton also has some advice for anyone thinking of buying an AI device: \u201cThe most important question consumers should ask themselves when buying these devices is, where is my data processed and stored?\u201d Privacy concerns are \u201cthe most significant hindrance\u201d for AI hardware, he adds. Before you hit that purchase button, it\u2019s worth reading those privacy policies carefully.<\/p>\n

Dedicated AI devices at IFA 2026<\/p>\n

At IFA, I saw a range of AI devices spanning different categories and use cases. Here are some that stood out.<\/p>\n

\"TwoThe Relay Q microphone tucks into your hand or can be worn on the collar.Andrew Lanxon\/CNET<\/p>\n

The Relay Q, designed by former Nothing employees, is an AI microphone designed to capture whisper-level audio that allows you to communicate with your desktop by voice. It can transcribe your words or relay AI prompts, such as drafting and sending an email on a particular topic. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s activated either by holding down the top of the microphone while you speak or by a MagSafe remote on the back of your iPhone. The top also pops off to become a magnetic pin that can grab onto your collar.<\/p>\n

\"RobotThe iKairos can be worn as a pendant, but it doesn\u2019t have to be.Andrew Lanxon\/CNET<\/p>\n

iKairos is effectively a modular system with a circular AI device at its heart that\u2019s about the size of a large smartwatch face. The device, called the neural core, can either be worn around your neck as a pendant or slotted into a cute desktop robot to form the head. It slides open to reveal a camera, but the physical shutter means this doesn\u2019t have unfettered visual access to what\u2019s going on around you.<\/p>\n

The device captures context about you, your life and your environment, creating a repository of memories that can be recalled by an AI agent. It also makes suggestions that could be helpful to you in your daily life.<\/p>\n

\"EarbudsPlaud One earbuds are the latest note-taking device from the AI company.Katie Collins\/CNET<\/p>\n

These earbuds, the latest product from AI note-taking company Plaud, will capture and upload conversations around you, as well as phone calls, using the built-in eSIM with 4G LTE.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plaud\u2019s software will then provide automatic transcriptions of your meetings and can turn these into summaries, follow-ups or reports. The company\u2019s agent allows for native integration with other tools you likely rely on, including Google, Gmail, Slack and Notion.<\/p>\n

Violoop<\/p>\n

\"SmallAndrew Lanxon\/CNET<\/p>\n

The Violoop can plug into any computer, read your screen and run an AI agent locally, executing tasks on your behalf with permission. This is ideal for older laptops that don\u2019t have the compute power to run on-device AI. Over time, the Violoop will learn about you, your routines and your preferences, becoming more competent in reading the context and preparing to take action on your behalf.<\/p>\n

Switchbot\u2019s AI MindClip and Kata Mini<\/p>\n

\"SmallKatie Collins\/CNET<\/p>\n

Switchbot\u2019s AI MindClip is a wearable AI assistant that can capture memories and record conversations to generate reminders, timelines and summaries. It relies on Qwen, the smart assistant developed by Alibaba, while drawing on AI capabilities from ChatGPT, Gemini and other models, and it\u2019s compatible with other services you might use, such as Google and Apple calendars.<\/p>\n

\"FurryThe Kata Mini is an AI companion that will soon be able to control your lights.Katie Collins\/CNET<\/p>\n

This cute Kata Mini keychain robot is more than just a Labubu with a battery. Also made by Switchbot, it\u2019s an AI companion you can play with and also use to control the company\u2019s smart home products. You can tell it to turn your lights on and off, for example \u2014 let\u2019s just hope it doesn\u2019t think it\u2019s a game.<\/p>\n

Timekettle W4 Plus AI Interpreter Earbuds<\/p>\n

\"BlackThe W4 Plus earbuds can translate video while you\u2019re watching it.Katie Collins\/CNET<\/p>\n

The latest version of Timekettle\u2019s translator earbuds allows for real-time translation in face-to-face conversations, phone calls and online meetings. They\u2019re also better than previous versions at translating videos you\u2019re watching.<\/p>\n

Luna Band<\/p>\n

\"GreenThe Luna Band is more than just an activity tracker.Katie Collins\/CNET<\/p>\n

Yes, the Luna Band is an activity tracker, but it also has some AI features that set it apart. Its firmware quickly tunes into your body, meaning that in just a few days, it will be different from the band you originally took out of the box. It also uses sensor data to make a timeline of suggestions for things you should do throughout your day \u2014 the ideal length and time for a walk, for example, or the best moment to take your magnesium before bed.<\/p>\n

Editors\u2019 note: Katie Collins\u2019 travel costs for the IFA conference were covered in part by Xiaomi. The judgments and opinions of CNET are our own<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Katie\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKatie Collins\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPrincipal Writer\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKatie is a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET’s European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET’s Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a “living synth” by London’s Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand.
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