I have a penchant for writing by hand. I enjoy the sensory experience, whether I’m interviewing sources, taking notes during meetings, or free-writing during my creative process.But a year ago, I developed the nerve condition neuropathy after suffering a life-threatening lung injury. Characteristics of neuropathy include clumsiness, cramps, muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling throughout the body. My condition has greatly improved with physical therapy, and the symptoms are now confined to my hands. The tingling, cramps, and klutzy movements come and go.Still, writing for extended periods of time can be exhausting, as I fight to maintain a comfortable grip on the pen.I’ve considered a couple of ways to streamline my note-taking process:Dictation software is great when I’m alone. But since it can’t differentiate among multiple speakers, after meetings I’m left with a mashup of sentence fragments that don’t make much sense. Plus, editing via voice commands is a hassle.A traditional voice recorder can’t transcribe lectures, so I still need to create typed notes with the help of a transcription tool.For me, no solution is ideal if it requires multiple steps. And if I’m going to be more dependent on technology, I want it to streamline my process, not complicate it.That’s why this new wave of AI wearable technology — glasses, pins, rings — caught my attention. In the past year, tech companies have begun packaging tools and services employing generative AI into devices that aim to free up people’s hands and simplify tasks.A distraction-free AI wearablePlaud NotePin SThis device does a stellar job of capturing conversations and produces helpful transcript summaries with its accompanying generative AI, though the text still requires proofreading.$179 from Amazon$179 from Best BuyThe Plaud NotePin S, which debuted at the CES 2026 trade show this year, is an AI-powered wearable note taker that purports to boost personal productivity. For $180, the NotePin S promises to record, transcribe, and summarize interviews, lectures, and meetings, producing results that you can share quickly and easily.After using it for two months, I can say that it does an excellent job of recording accurate transcripts and distinguishing among multiple speakers. Yet its summaries had occasional errors, and in some cases it failed to accurately transcribe multi-language discussions. And it doesn’t integrate with many apps — at least, not yet.It’s an intriguing but not category-defining device. And if, like me, you want to capture meeting notes, academic lectures, sales pitches, or brainstorming sessions, and you lack the time or patience to transcribe recordings word for word, it could be a genuine time-saver. It also gave my hands a rest when they needed it most. The Plaud NotePin S comes with four accessories: a magnetic back (or pin), a clip, a lanyard, and a wristband. Kaitlyn Wells/NYT Wirecutter