Sony has apparently been listening to the qualms of many people wishing for a personal, private air conditioner during uncomfortably hot summers. The company has just unveiled a convenient air conditioning jacket that can fit in your pocket.
Sony introduced a product called the Reon Pocket via its First Fight Flight crowdfunding program exclusive in Japan. It's a unique kind of air conditioner and its portability makes it even more interesting. Instead of spewing out processed air to cool an area, the gadget is mounted to the body that intern will cool your internal body temperature.
A short video features that the device can be controlled via an app, which designed so that it slides easily into the pocket of a specially designed undershirt. The pocket can be found between your shoulder blades and uses thermoelectric currents not just to cool the body, but heat it as well. It seems that the gadget can be worn using the undershirt that comes with it alone and not with other kinds of tees.
Reon Pocket's First Flight page notes that the gadget can be used to lower the body temperature of the wearer by 13 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit), or raise it by 8 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). A fully charged device should give you 24 hours of personal climate control.
It weighs a little under three ounces, so it shouldn't be difficult to wear it in that undershirt pocket. It seems that the undershirt that comes along with the Reon Pocket is marketed for people who regularly have to wear work clothes.
It's not clear how female customers are supposed to wear this gadget though, but that's not to say the Reon Pocket is exclusively for men. But the pitch case does suggest that men in business suits are the target market.
Sony isn't the first company to have designed a wearable AC. At CES 2018, the Embr Wave was introduced and we've also seen a number of heated clothing items meant for use while skiing or snowboarding. However, the advantage of the Reon Pocket is its size, which Sony's promotional video suggests will allow it to fit surreptitiously underneath a regular business shirt.
The Reon Pocket is already fully funded before it officially launched, it will cost around $117, although for now, the product is only available in Japan. Shipping starts next year, and we're hoping Sony announces the availability of this AC/thermostat in other major markets soon.
