sony launches wearable air conditioner that fits in your pocket

as temperatures soar higher than ever before, the idea of a portable, wearable air conditioner that keeps you cool via a smartphone app seems pretty idyllic, if not a little far-fetched. well according to sony, it’s apparently not. the reon pocket, from the company’s startup acceleration program, is a small device that does just that.

images courtesy of sony / first flight JP

the reon pocket utilizes thermoelectric cooling but sony says you can also use it as a heater on winter days. it can supposedly cool a user’s body temperature by 13 degrees celsius (23 degrees fahrenheit) and raise your temperature by about 8 degrees celsius (about 14 degrees fahrenheit).

the reon pocket is a bluetooth device about the size of a card wallet that slips into a special undershirt with a pocket at the base of the neck. it connects to an app which gives users control of the temperature via their smartphone.

the wearable air conditioner supports ios and android, has a battery life of 90 minutes and a charge time of 2 hours. it looks a little like an apple mouse, weighs just 85 grams and uses USB-c.

first unveiled summer 2019, sony planned to launch the gadget just in time for the tokyo olympics, a timetable the japanese company followed.  each device is 14,080 jpy (approx. $130) and is currently available in different japanese sites. for more information, follow this link.

project info

company: sony

name: reon pocket

status: completed

where to buy: here