Xiaomi has filed a patent for a smart ring that has an auto-adjusting size.
The patent was noticed by 91Mobiles and while it doesn't mean the smart ring will appear in the flesh at any point, it's an interesting concept.
Smart rings are all the rage at the moment, which isn't a surprise when you consider what they are capable of. Small and discreet whilst still offering heaps of data, they are an excellent solution for people that want to keep track of their health and fitness but perhaps aren't huge fans of smartwatches.
There's a growing number of options too, with Samsung having joined the smart ring market with its Galaxy Ring earlier this year, offering many of the same features as there Galaxy Watch 7. While Oura announced its fourth generation of the Oura Ring earlier in October.
Now it looks like there could be another new player before too long.
A smart ring patent has been filed by Xiaomi on the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), picked up by 91Mobiles, and it suggests the Chinese company is working on a smart ring that will auto-adjust to your finger size.
The patent suggests the Xiaomi smart ring could use some form of elastic component, as well as a spring mechanism on the inside of the ring to allow it to change size automatically. Smart rings at the moment, from both the likes of Oura and Samsung, require you to order a sizing kit before you buy the main device.
The sizing kits include plastic models of the different ring size options available, and the idea is that you wear the one you think is best for the finger you plan to wear the smart ring on for 24 hours, ensuring the size you pick is still suitable when your hands are wet, or when they swell.
That ensures a good fit for the one finger you have chosen but it doesn't allow you to switch fingers, give your smart ring to someone else, or go up or down in weight.
Xiaomi's design would allow for that, if the patent ever sees the light of day, and it would also mean the company could make just one ring size.
The patent also says the smart ring will feature various sensors including a proximity sensor, light sensor, acceleration sensor, Gyroscope, magnetic sensor and temperature sensor.
A mention of the Xiaomi smart ring being able to control a connected phone's camera is also suggested, which is something the Galaxy Ring allows for with a double pinch of your fingers when you're wearing it and it's connected to a Samsung phone.
For now, the Xiaomi smart ring patent is just a patent, but this is one we wouldn't be surprised to see turn into a real product.
