Smart rings are small, discreet, and stay out of the way while logging
heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. But when something goes wrong, that convenience can quickly turn into a liability. A Galaxy Ring user recently reported that his ring’s battery swelled while on his finger, making removal impossible without hospital intervention. More than just nightmare fuel, the incident highlights a design flaw across the entire industry. Smart rings, for all their promise, lack an emergency exit.
Trapped by my own tech
Credit: Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
Unlike watches or bands, rings don’t unbuckle (or un-Velcro) for easy removal. They only come off the way they go on: sliding past knuckles. If a finger swells, whether from heat, hydration, or a malfunctioning battery, the device can quickly become a vise. In the case of one unlucky Galaxy Ring user, battery swelling turned a well-fitting device into a finger trap, grounding his flight plans and sending him to the ER.
The fear of having a ring of any kind stuck on my finger is very real.
That’s exactly what happened to tech creator Daniel (@ZONEofTECH). According to Daniel, after his Galaxy Ring’s battery failed, soap and hand cream only made things worse. Airport staff denied him boarding, and he ended up in a hospital, where doctors used ice and medical lubricant to slide the ring free.
