Layer conceptualises a next-gen AI-powered device: introducing the PiA

Where are we really at with personal, pocketable AI devices? The lukewarm market reception to recent gadgets like the Rabbit and the Humane AI pin imply that consumers aren’t quite ready for a standalone AI-enabled device. We’re all too tethered to our phones and earbuds, and the offerings from Apple, Samsung, Google and OpenAI (amongst many others) all use this existing tech infrastructure to deliver their intelligent agents.

The PiA system hedges its bets by spreading its proposed AI assistance across three ‘near future’ devices, a biometric earbud, a wearable camera module and a smartphone. These are designed not only to harmonise visually with each other but also for the camera unit to dock with the phone. Produced in collaboration with model makers Complete Fabrication, the system uses crafted recycled glass as a primary material, creating richly textured surfaces that are a world away from the monolithic design of most contemporary mobiles.

According to Layer’s founder, Benjamin Hubert, ‘PiA was born from a desire to bring emotion to artificial intelligence. In a world where AI is often feared, we believe that fear is rooted in its “artificial” label. Our mission was to make it more human.’ Dialling back the complexity, Hubert hopes the system showcases a more connected, assistive AI, one that brings together Layer’s expertise in branding, digital innovation and traditional product design.

At the heart of PiA is a visual avatar, rather than a conventional mobile operating system. The intention is to move away from existing ways of interacting with AIs and create a sophisticated system that can ‘see’ and ‘hear’ as well decode text and imagery. ‘By capturing the user’s environment and biometric information, PiA is able to offer continuously updated, bespoke advice and contextual information, enhancing every aspect of a user’s life,’ the design team explains. On top of that, there’s a focus on a visual display of emotion, all the better to create a bond between the user and device.

By separating the camera module (and additional battery module) from the main body of the smartphone, the device can be ultra-slim and less physically distracting than a conventional phone. It is paired with biometric earbuds, which contain sensors that tap into the pulse point on the inner ear, providing all the metrics we’d usually associate with a smart watch. Then there’s the camera model, which follows the Humane/Rabbit approach of a pinnable badge that can decode the world around you.

All this is speculative, but it points to what is surely coming as smartphone makers like Google, Apple and Samsung increasingly package each new model in with ever tighter AI integration. Within the next couple of years, you can expect the premium manufacturers to create hybrid devices that take greater advantage of the AI revolution.

As Layer notes, the shift from ‘AI’ to ‘PiA’ is a small but significant one, moving ‘beyond the conventional to emphasise the personal and intuitive nature of the technology’. As with all the studio’s exploratory work, the design encompasses the hardware, OS and packaging and presentation, all of which is designed to ‘foster a sense of connection to the natural world’ and redefine AI as an emotionally and technologically engaged companion.

LayerDesign.com, @Layer_Design, CompFab.co.uk