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Aura is an audio-and-voice-only minimalist AI smartphone designed for the post-screen market.
Rationale
Over the last decade, humanity has been consumed by mobile screens. Visually-stimulating social apps and games on smartphones have addicted every generation and has resulted in resoundingly negative health outcomes such as increases in teenage depression and childhood myopia, and reductions in attention spans, and senses of purpose and community.
In response, the Gen Z tech savvy are searching for alternatives to smartphones (e.g. dumbphones, litephones, etc.) to stay connected without losing their intentionality, agency, and motivation. Additionally, many tech-conscious parents are desiring products for their children that can connect them with the Internet without causing them long-term psychological harm.
Features
- AI assistant: OpenAI GPT-4o answers questions you have about anything and everything
- Local storage: Store and share private information about yourself
Parts
1 microphone, 1 speaker, 1 touch capacitive interface voice activation button, 1 power button, 1 clip for a lanyard, 1 cylindrical plastic case, 1 microphone cap, 1 pen clip, 1 onboard computer with sd card slot / sim card slot / wifi power / bluetooth, 1 volume up/down button
Flows
Press power button > power on + power on sfx > press power button > power off + power off sfx
Press and hold voice activation button > record on sfx + voice is recorded for as long as button is held > button released > voice is sent to servers > servers return an answer > answer is played via speakers or bluetooth headphones if connected
Volume up button > volume up sfx + volume increases 10% until max
Volume down button > volume down sfx + volume decreases 10% until silent
Swipe left/right on touch capacitive pad > swap between apps
Double press the button >