Sony's Reon Pocket is an iPhone-controlled personal air conditioner
Sony is crowdfunding a project called the Reon Pocket, a wearable AC/heater unit compatible with both iPhones and Android devices.
The Pocket slips into a compartment in the back of a custom undershirt, and is powerful enough to drop local skin temperature from 36 Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit) to 23 (73.4 Fahrenheit), according to Sony. Much of the company's marketing is geared towards Japanese businessmen, who frequently walk the streets during the country's infamously hot summers.
Wearers connect to their phone via Bluetooth 5.0. Through an app they can switch between heating and cooling, adjust intensity, and toggle automatic activation.
Crowdfunding is currently Japanese-only and at 45% of a 66,000,000 million yen goal, about $607,332. Included shirts are only in S, M, and L sizes, and the bundle is selling for 14,080 yen, roughly $130. It's unclear if or when the product might reach other regions.
Sony lists the product as compatible with iOS 13, which remains in beta ahead of a fall release date. The unit itself is expected to ship in the spring of 2020.
The Pocket slips into a compartment in the back of a custom undershirt, and is powerful enough to drop local skin temperature from 36 Celsius (96.8 Fahrenheit) to 23 (73.4 Fahrenheit), according to Sony. Much of the company's marketing is geared towards Japanese businessmen, who frequently walk the streets during the country's infamously hot summers.
Wearers connect to their phone via Bluetooth 5.0. Through an app they can switch between heating and cooling, adjust intensity, and toggle automatic activation.
Crowdfunding is currently Japanese-only and at 45% of a 66,000,000 million yen goal, about $607,332. Included shirts are only in S, M, and L sizes, and the bundle is selling for 14,080 yen, roughly $130. It's unclear if or when the product might reach other regions.
Sony lists the product as compatible with iOS 13, which remains in beta ahead of a fall release date. The unit itself is expected to ship in the spring of 2020.
Comments
As, uh– cool as this gadget might be, I see a very limited window of functionality. Trapping the exhaust in clothing would be counterproductive.
As great as this sounds, a peltier device won't help much in warm open air. Their may be some benefit in providing a very cool spot at the base of the net, providing a sense of coolness, more of a psychological influence than a physiological result. I'd think those thermal images were taken under very controlled conditions.
I purchased one. Shipped from Japan. It looks nice. Well made.
However, it is a brick for now. Cannot use it without the App. It turns out the App is not yet available in the US (I am in California). I google translated the Sony First-Flight page into English and read the manual (https://reonpocket.sony.co.jp/product/howto.html). Also went the Japan Apple App store here (https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/id1498749786?mt=8). When I tried to download the app it said not avail in US. Bummer. I contacted the seller in Japan. He said contact Sony. Not much a help. Now I have an expensive brick to the tune of $240 sitting on my desk useless.