With a built-in camera and intuitive button controls, IRIS outpaces traditional voice commands, offering a faster, more efficient solution for managing devices with just a flick of the wrist.
Researchers at the University of Washington have unveiled a smart ring, IRIS (Interactive Ring for Interfacing with Smart home devices), designed to streamline the control of smart devices in homes. While voice assistants like Siri have gained popularity for controlling smart speakers, lights, and thermostats, they are often not as efficient as simple switches. Commands can be cumbersome—“Turn on the lamp… Not that one” or “Turn up the speaker volume… Not that loud.” IRIS aims to solve these challenges by offering a more intuitive solution.
The smart ring is equipped with a small camera that, when aimed at a smart device, sends an image of the selected device to the user’s phone via Bluetooth. From there, users can control the device by pressing a button on the ring, and adjust settings like speaker volume by rotating their hand for gradient controls. This system is designed to make managing smart devices as easy as clicking an icon on a computer desktop.
IRIS operates for 16–24 hours on a single charge, and its compact design is made to be worn throughout the day, overcoming one of the key challenges in creating a wearable smart device. The system’s effectiveness lies in its responsiveness—images are compressed before being sent to the phone, and the camera is activated only when the user clicks the button, ensuring minimal delay and a seamless experience.
In a study with 23 participants, IRIS proved to be significantly faster than voice commands, controlling devices over two seconds faster on average. The users also preferred IRIS over voice systems like Siri, with twice as many people choosing the ring for its simplicity and efficiency.
While IRIS is not yet available to the public, the potential applications of this technology are exciting. Co-lead author Maruchi Kim envisions integrating the system into health-tracking smart rings in the future, taking the concept beyond home automation to augmenting human capabilities, such as monitoring health metrics.
