Gesture control devices are big these days, but bluetooth-enabled rings have been particularly increasing in numbers. Some of these devices, such as the Fin, work as a smartphone companion, allowing the user to receive texts, emails, and other notifications via Bluetooth and WiFi. Another example, the LogBar Ring, actually doubled as a gesture control ring and a “smart” ring for receiving alerts. But for gesture control, rings seem to be the most popular way for the user to control and manipulate connected devices. A simple wave of the hand is nothing new as far as this goes, but the Nod is different because unlike many other options, it is currently in a very advanced prototype phase. It already works as smoothly and accurately as shown in the video below! Something else makes Nod special while up against other Bluetooth rings. It is the first one to launch into the market without a crowdfunding campaign like Kickstarter, or Indiegogo!

The Nod is repeatably being compared to the ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, “The Lord of the Rings”, in multiple reviews. Just as the film depicts the One Ring to rule the “Lesser Rings of Power” and bind them together, this exceptional wearable is capable of working with most Bluetooth devices that have built-in motion control. The ring works so simply. Similar to Leap Motion (except just shrunken down and wireless), all you do is wear it, use your hand and fingers to make the movements necessary to complete your goal. This could be a game like Fruit Ninja on a big screen TV, choosing letters to write a text message on a smartphone or tablet, and anything else compatible with smart home technology.



Something especially nice about a product such as the Nod is its small learning curve for the user. Nothing is tricky here. All the required learning involves hand and finger movements, as simply as moving their hand to place a cursor on the desired spot, and using motions such as twisting to manipulate things such as a volume or temperature control. The Nod is a plain looking, black ring that uses a micro-USB cable for charging, with roughly 24 hours of battery life. It is made to be worn throughout the entire day, also meaning it is waterproof. It is designed out of matte black plastic with a stainless steel insert. Some may feel the most comfortable wearing Nod on their index finger, so the thumb can effortlessly access the back of the ring for controls.

The back is home to the touch panel, and two tactile buttons, where gestures such as swiping and rotation are allowed. The touch panel is good for scrolling up or down on a web page. The tactile buttons are for physical options (for doing things other than gesture movements), and act just like buttons on a mouse do. Picturing scenes from Minority Report for inspiration, the Nod actually moves relatively fluid and controlled because it is designed to ignore the normal shake and twitch hands naturally do. This means when the user's hand isn't in motion, the cursor remains completely still. The Nod ring actually claims to have 32,000 dpi accuracy, which is theoretically dependable for gaming. Starting today, Nod is available for pre-sale for $149. Shipping should begin this fall, and it comes in four different sizes with additional inserts for each.