Tools for Humanity, the start-up behind the World human verification project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, unveiled a mobile device on 30 April 2025 designed to help users differentiate between humans and AI agents, TechCrunch reported.
Rich Heley, Tools for Humanity’s chief device officer and a former Apple director, introduced the Orb Mini during the organisation’s “At Last” event in San Francisco. The device, resembling a smartphone, is equipped with two large front-facing sensors to scan users’ eyes.
World, a web3 project co-founded by Sam Altman and Alex Blania and formerly known as Worldcoin, is based on the premise that distinguishing humans from AI entities online will soon become challenging. To address this, World aims to create digital “proof of human” tools as part of a broader effort to encourage millions to enrol.
After scanning your eyeball with one of its silver metal Orbs—or now with an Orb Mini—World provides you with a unique blockchain identity to verify your humanity.
A Tools for Humanity spokesperson told TechCrunch that the Orb Mini, named after the company’s larger Orb devices, has the familiar shape of a smartphone and is designed for portability. According to sources familiar with the new device, former Apple designer Thomas Meyerhoff contributed to its design.
Orb Devices
Orb devices, developed by Tools for Humanity, are biometric verification tools for the World project to confirm a person’s unique human identity. Utilising iris-scanning technology, they generate a distinct identity for each individual, which is recorded on a blockchain as proof of personhood.
To use an Orb, you approach the spherical device, which scans your face and iris for approximately 30 seconds, creating and storing a unique “IrisCode” to verify your humanity and ensure you have not previously registered. Upon completion, you receive a portion of the project’s cryptocurrency, WLD, free of charge. You can then use your World ID to access integrated platforms, currently including Minecraft, Reddit, Telegram, Shopify and Discord.
