Sony unveils a wearable air conditioner for your neck

Sony has unveiled the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, a wearable device that essentially functions as a personal air conditioner worn at the base of the neck.

The gadget cools or warms the skin in direct contact with it, using a small electrically powered metal plate to regulate body temperature without the need for traditional cooling systems.

The device works through the Peltier effect, a physical phenomenon in which an electric current passing between two different materials causes one side to absorb heat and the other to release it. In the Reon Pocket Pro Plus, this principle is applied through a metal plate that sits flush against the back of the neck. The positioning is deliberate, since blood flow close to the surface of the skin in that area helps the cooling sensation spread through the body more efficiently. A quiet built-in fan circulates air across the contact zone to enhance the effect.

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is the latest version of a product line that Sony first introduced as a crowdfunding project in 2019, with internal development dating back to 2017. After initially launching in Asia and later expanding to select Western markets, the upgraded model is now heading to the UK and Europe for the first time.

Sony says the new version delivers a 2°C (3.6°F) improvement in cooling performance over its predecessor, a roughly 20% gain. The upgrade is driven by two independent thermo modules that nearly double the cooling surface area, and a redesigned heat-dissipating fan with about twice the airflow of previous versions.

The cooling algorithm has also been refined, monitoring temperature changes on the device and in the surrounding environment to adjust output more dynamically. The Pro Plus ships with a second-generation Pocket Tag, a smaller external sensor that tracks ambient temperature and humidity. On a single full charge, the device runs for up to 10 hours on its second-highest cooling setting.

The Reon Pocket Pro Plus is now available in the UK at £199 and in Europe at €220, sold through Sony's own store and major online retailers, including Amazon. U.S. availability has not yet been confirmed.