Two former Meta employees have unveiled Sandbar, a startup developing a smart ring called Stream — a compact voice-driven device designed to record thoughts, manage notes, and control music playback. The founders, Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, describe Stream as “a mouse for voice,” aiming to make hands-free interaction with AI tools as seamless as typing or swiping.
The pair bring a deep background in human-computer interaction. Fahmi previously worked at Kernel and Magic Leap, while Hong was part of Google before joining CTRL-Labs, the neural interface company acquired by Meta in 2019. Their shared experience with wearable computing led them to reimagine how users could capture fleeting ideas without reaching for a phone or speaking into open air.
The Stream ring is worn on the index finger and features a built-in microphone and touchpad. By pressing and holding the touch surface, users can activate the microphone—normally kept off for privacy—to quietly record voice notes or whispers. These recordings are transcribed in a companion iOS app, which also hosts an AI assistant capable of organizing and editing notes or tasks. The app allows pinch-to-zoom navigation through recorded conversations, and users can choose to have the assistant’s voice resemble their own through a personalization feature.
In addition to voice functions, the ring doubles as a compact media controller, letting wearers play, pause, or skip tracks and adjust volume through touch gestures. Haptic feedback signals successful commands, making the device usable in public or noisy spaces without relying on audio cues.
Pre-orders for Stream opened this week, priced at $249 for the silver edition and $299 for gold. Shipping is scheduled for summer 2026. Buyers receive a three-month trial of Sandbar’s Pro subscription, which unlocks unlimited notes and early access to new AI tools before transitioning to a $10 monthly fee. Sandbar emphasizes that all data is encrypted and can be exported to third-party apps like Notion—an uncommon stance in a sector where most startups keep data within proprietary ecosystems.
The company has raised $13 million from investors including True Ventures, Upfront Ventures, and Betaworks. True Ventures partner Toni Schneider, who backed the project, said the demo convinced him that the team had found a practical form factor for voice-first AI.
Sandbar enters a crowded but uncertain field of AI wearables, where devices like Humane’s Ai Pin and Rabbit’s R1 have struggled to find mass adoption. Competing startups such as Friend, Wispr, and Taya are also experimenting with discreet voice interfaces. Fahmi maintains that Stream’s success depends not on companionship or novelty but on utility: providing an unobtrusive way to capture and interact with ideas on the go.
As the broader AI hardware market continues to search for its breakout device, Stream represents another attempt to redefine personal computing through minimal, voice-based interaction—one that may finally deliver on the promise of ambient, always-available intelligence.
