Seventh Time's the Charm? The Ring Mouse Offers Finger-Borne Gesture Control

Wearable tech is now common, arguably thanks to the Apple Watch. That product struggled upon its 2015 launch, but the eventual additions of features people wanted—health and fitness monitoring, ecosystem integration—pushed it into the mainstream within a few years.Competitiors have since popped up, and the wrist is now as viable a product battleground as the pocket or desktop. But one wearable tech location that no one's cracked yet is the finger. Many have tried. By our count at least six companies have attempted to launch a smart ring that would allow gesture control, dating as far back as 2009. The Loop Pointer, the Nod Ring, the Padrone Ring, the Tap Strap, the AirPoint Ring; have you heard of any of them? And the Mycestro ring from 2013 failed at spectacular cost, garnering $354,000 in pledges before struggling to deliver and eventually evaporating.But the tech world is filled with optimists, so here we go again. This time a startup called Ring Mouse is holding a Kickstarter for their eponymous product. "This one happens to control your entire digital universe," the company promises. Offered in stainless steel or titanium alloy, the Ring Mouse is offered in sizes 4 thru 15. It features a swipeable touchpad for scrolling, and two buttons for tapping, zooming, advancing, etc.The idea is that you can use it for interacting with apps or media while you're doing other things, like washing, cooking, exercising or strolling around a presentation stage.Here are some projected use cases:The included charging case provides 10 hours of battery life. The Ring Mouse has been succesfully Kickstarted, with 23 days left to pledge at press time. Buy-in starts at $90, and they expect to ship in June.

Mar 31, 2025 - 16:41

Seventh Time's the Charm? The Ring Mouse Offers Finger-Borne Gesture Control

Wearable tech is now common, arguably thanks to the Apple Watch. That product struggled upon its 2015 launch, but the eventual additions of features people wanted—health and fitness monitoring, ecosystem integration—pushed it into the mainstream within a few years.

Competitiors have since popped up, and the wrist is now as viable a product battleground as the pocket or desktop. But one wearable tech location that no one's cracked yet is the finger. Many have tried. By our count at least six companies have attempted to launch a smart ring that would allow gesture control, dating as far back as 2009. The Loop Pointer, the Nod Ring, the Padrone Ring, the Tap Strap, the AirPoint Ring; have you heard of any of them? And the Mycestro ring from 2013 failed at spectacular cost, garnering $354,000 in pledges before struggling to deliver and eventually evaporating.

But the tech world is filled with optimists, so here we go again. This time a startup called Ring Mouse is holding a Kickstarter for their eponymous product. "This one happens to control your entire digital universe," the company promises.

Offered in stainless steel or titanium alloy, the Ring Mouse is offered in sizes 4 thru 15. It features a swipeable touchpad for scrolling, and two buttons for tapping, zooming, advancing, etc.

The idea is that you can use it for interacting with apps or media while you're doing other things, like washing, cooking, exercising or strolling around a presentation stage.

Here are some projected use cases:

The included charging case provides 10 hours of battery life.

The Ring Mouse has been succesfully Kickstarted, with 23 days left to pledge at press time. Buy-in starts at $90, and they expect to ship in June.