Developer gives failed $699 Humane AI Pin a glow-up, transforms it into custom AI assistant platform

A 29-year-old developer has successfully created PenumbraOS, a custom operating system that transforms the failed Humane AI Pin into a functional development platform for AI assistants. Adam Gastineau’s 400-hour project represents one of the most ambitious attempts to salvage the $699 wearable device after Humane shut down its core functionality and was acquired by HP in February 2025.

What you should know: Gastineau has effectively turned the AI Pin into “a normal Android device” capable of running custom applications and connecting directly to AI services.

• His system enables the pin to make direct WebSocket connections to OpenAI’s real-time API, processing raw audio input and output in near real-time.
• The developer can now activate alternative eSIMs on the device, dramatically expanding its connectivity options.
• PenumbraOS serves as a foundation that allows other developers to build applications for the pin without technical barriers.

The backstory: The Humane AI Pin’s spectacular failure created an unexpected opportunity for tech tinkerers to experiment with the hardware.

• The device launched in April 2024 to overwhelmingly negative reviews and safety concerns about its charging case being a fire hazard.
• When Humane shut down functionality, an Android Debug Bridge certification leaked online, providing hackers with the tools needed to access the device.
• Gastineau purchased his pin specifically after learning about the shutdown, hoping to add features missing from the original product.

His motivation: Gastineau has harbored a 15-year dream of creating a wearable that can gather contextual information about users’ lives.

• “I wanted a wearable that can gather context about your life for about 15 years now, but I knew I’d never really be able to make one,” he explained.
• While he found the original pin “looked cool,” he was frustrated by its locked-down nature and inability to process AI requests directly on the device.
• The developer used large language models to help translate his iOS development expertise into Android code, dramatically speeding up his learning process.

The bigger vision: Gastineau plans to develop MABL, a central orchestrator app that will transform the pin into a comprehensive AI assistant platform.

• “The idea is to build a system that would let anyone replicate something Humane-like with their pin, in any way they imagine,” he said.
• His vision includes loading private LLMs onto the device and creating plug-ins that utilize the pin’s built-in projector for applications like timers.
• “Basically make a playground for everything mobile AI assistants,” he added.

Competition and community: While acknowledging other revival efforts, Gastineau aims for a more comprehensive solution than existing alternatives.

• He respects OpenPin, another project enabling continued use of AI pins, but considers it “the quickest and hackiest option possible.”
• OpenPin only handles basic functions like recording audio and taking pictures without utilizing advanced features like the laser display.
• Gastineau admits that reaching the intelligence level of Humane’s original Cosmos operating system “is frontier research and worth billions, probably.”

What he’s saying: The developer positions his work as a potential Siri replacement while building community engagement.

• “I’m here for a Siri replacement,” Gastineau stated about his ultimate goal.
• “I want to try to drive the devs into a shared community so they can start talking,” he said, encouraged by interest from other developers and former Humane employees.
• “Ultimately, I’m here to build things and make things work and have fun, so I don’t care that much, but obviously it’s cool to have people use your stuff.”