Your next technology-charged accessory: A smart ring?

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Everyone's heard of smartwatches, wrist-worn devices that can do everything from tell you the time, monitor your heart rate and make phone calls.

Now there's another wearable accessory for your hand making a buzz around the internet: smart rings.

Often mistaken for traditional jewelry, smart rings -- technology-packed devices that fit around your finger -- have actually been around for over a decade, mostly manufactured by smaller startup companies.

However, it wasn't until recently when big players like Samsung and Apple were rumored to be working on the technology that interest started to grow, and the possibility of mass production became more conceivable.

According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, last year the global smart rings market was valued at USD $5 million, and is projected to reach US$23 million by 2030.

While it's still too early to tell if the smart ring will go the way of other hotly anticipated but ultimately not mass-adopted gadgets, such as Google Glass, it's still important for consumers to understand the benefits and capabilities of such technology.

Aesthetically, smart rings appear very similar to traditional jewelry worn on our fingers, but have added technological functions. Rings in the marketplace currently can respond to specific gestures, send notifications to the wearer through vibration, and conduct functions by being prompted with commands.

Much like the smart watch, smart rings are not seen as a replacement for smartphones, but rather complementary to them.

The most common uses for smart rings include monitoring health and fitness data created by the wearer, but they can also be used for digital payments, online security, and access control to spaces such as homes or offices. They even allow for the