Sony Releases Small Personal Air Conditioner 

Sony has released a new personal air conditioner designed to be stored inside a person’s shirt collar, creating a cool envelope around their torso even when they’re outside.

Called the Reon Pocket, the wallet-sized device weighs just three ounces and can be controlled through a companion smartphone app.

Sony is also selling custom t-shirts with small pockets sewn into the back collar of the shirt to hold the device.

Sony claims the device can lower the body surface temperature of the person wearing it by up to 23 degrees Fahrenheit when set at maximum power and left to run for five minutes.

It will also be capable of generating warm air for winter wear and can increase body surface temperature by 14 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a report in Interesting Engineering.

The device is powered by a rechargeable battery that Sony says can run continuously for around 90 minutes, though it takes a full two hours to recharge.

The suggested retail price is around $130.

The device was originally announced in 2019 and planned to be released in time for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where summers are famously hot and humid.

Despite the Tokyo Olympics being being postponed until 2021, Sony decided to move forward with the Reon Pocket’s release.