Aina's Ambitious AI Interface Devices Emerge in the Market

Aina, a Bengaluru- and San Francisco-based startup, is making its mark in the crowded field of human-computer interface devices. Led by Apoorv Shankar, a former VP of Hardware at smart ring maker Ultrahuman, the company has raised $5.5 million in a round led by Redstart Labs (Infoedge, India) and 360 ONE.

Aina's First Product: Dune

Aina's first product is Dune, a three-key, context-aware "macro" keyboard that can control the mic and camera in a meeting and run shortcuts or scripts based on the app users are viewing. It's essentially a small keypad that runs pre-set shortcuts, making it an efficient tool for knowledge workers.

Radiance and Shift: Other Devices in the Works

Aina developed two other devices: Radiance, a tabletop remote for video calls with a dial for volume and buttons for mic, camera, AI notetaker, voice modulation, and joining the meeting; and Shift, a single-tap "agentic" button that connects to your phone. However, in early testing, Aina found Dune was the most popular of the three and decided to ship it first.

Aina's Vision for the Future

Aina's devices depart from traditional context capture methods, focusing on controlling and invoking AI agents. The company wants to learn what kind of tasks users actually want to automate and plans to begin testing with a small group of select users soon. The new device won't be a passive gadget, but rather an action-oriented device that will use the context to help users control and trigger workflows.

The Rise of AI Interface Devices

There has been a steady rise in hardware built specifically to control and trigger AI agents. Just this week, OpenAI released a custom keypad for Codex made with Work Louder. Plenty of other options exist too, ranging from keyboard makers to DIY enthusiasts building their own macro controllers. With no clear winner yet on form factor, expect a wave of new hardware bets and funding rounds chasing the same question: what does controlling AI actually look like?