What a time to be alive! We might get wearable ACs from Sony in the future. Summer is far from getting over and Sony has perfectly timed their announcement for the gadget. To get rid of the humidity and hot weather, the Japanese company has created a unique gadget that fits into a customized shirt.
With temperatures soaring this summer, having an air conditioner has become a total necessity. Sony developed the wearable AC just to combat the summer heat. Sony is known for its crazy inventions in the field of technology. In the past, Sony has launched some iconic mobile phones. Also, it launched a robotic dog which was pretty bizarre. This AC contraption is also bizarre as you can wear it with your regular everyday clothes. The company calls the device Reon Pocket and has tiny vents on the backside of it which throws out cool air.
According to Sony, the device is lighter and smaller than a mobile phone. However, to wear it, you have to fit it inside of a specially designed undershirt. The Sony Wearable AC is powered by an inbuilt battery which lasts about 90 minutes after a full charge. It takes around 2 hours to fully charge the device. Sony claims that the AC is built using a Peltier element. This element is most commonly used in wine coolers and car AC. Reon Pocket has an app to go with it. You can connect it to your mobile phone via Bluetooth. All the communication (increasing or decreasing the temperature, adjusting cooling modes etc.) with the device takes place via the app.
It’s a crowdfunded project and is currently available in Japan only. There has been no word from Sony about whether the product will be available in other markets. Sony set the crowdfunding limit at 66,000,000 YEN. It has received around 28,900,000 YEN already. The Sony wearable AC comes with an undershirt and the cost of the package is 14,080 YEN (INR 9000). The undershirt is available in sizes small, medium, and large.
The undershirt has a pocket where the Sony wearable AC fits. There is no official IP rating for dust and water resistance but any dirt, sweat, or water droplets sticking around the AC can be wiped off using a microfiber cloth. This isn’t Sony’s first attempt to creating a wearable AC. Embr Wave was launched in CES 2018 but this was a thermostat. Aside from Sony Wearable AC, there are several other devices that heat up the clothes while skiing and snowboarding. The best thing about the Sony wearable AC is that it will fit snugly inside the undershirt and no one will know.
