Sony is crowdfunding a wearable temperature regulator

[Shawn Knight]

Through the looking glass: Sony is crowdfunding a peculiar wearable that aims to keep you cool during the hot summer months and supply warmth during frigid times. Some would say something like this more frivolous than practical. Your thoughts?

Dubbed the Reon Pocket, the smartphone-sized gadget is designed to slip into a pouch on the back of a custom shirt. Rather than blowing hot or cold air down your back, it utilizes the Peltier effect whereby heat is given off or absorbed when an electrical current passes across a junction between two materials. As such, it’s reportedly able to cool or warm your back simply by being pressed against it.

Peltiers were a popular choice in the early days of extreme PC cooling but you don’t see them in use as much lately.

Temperature control takes place via a smartphone app, we’re told. Battery life is rated at less than two hours so don’t expect all-day heating or cooling on a single charge.

The shirts for Sony’s personal temperature technology are being offered in men’s sizes of small, medium and large only and according to the company, the cooling pouch is not visible when worn (presumably as an undershirt beneath an outer garment).

Sony expects to ship the Reon Pocket sometime in 2020 although it’ll initially be limited to Japan.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81191-sony-crowdfunding-wearable-temperature-regulator.html

 

[EClyde]

Always better to do anything other then lose weight. I climbed up Sugarloaf in Marquette County and all the chubs could have used one of these. The reasonably fit were doing just fine. It's sad to see 10 years olds so fat

 

[Mikael_r]

2 hours per charge seems pretty darn low. And I wonder if it's waterproof, since I bet there will be an issue of people forgetting to remove it from the shirt before washing.

 

[Kibaruk]

If you need something like this 24/7 you are thinking of the wrong type of use cases.

Some would say something like this more frivolous than practical

Depends on where and who you ask.

Always better to do anything other then lose weight. I climbed up Sugarloaf in Marquette County and all the chubs could have used one of these. The reasonably fit were doing just fine. It's sad to see 10 years olds so fat

Less weight =/= Fit. If you think this is the issue for a product oriented towards the Japanese market, take a look at the latest Japanese obesity stats.

I'm hot by nature, it's not because I lack exercising, I'm not overweight, its just because my body works this way. If you tell me there is a way I can be cooler when I need it by using that device, I'm absolutely in. If you tell me I can use it as well on a -20°C temperature to feel warmer, I'm in too.

 

[Vulcanproject]

Can't wait to cool 10 square inches of my skin, that's gonna help.

Shame about the other 20 odd square feet of skin I have but hey.

 

[p51d007]

Probably work as well as those stupid commercials for the "chill hat" soak in water! 20 degrees cooler!
LMAO

 

[SirDigby]

I thought it was the Seebeck effect? … or is that slightly different?

 

[Kibaruk]

Can't wait to cool 10 square inches of my skin, that's gonna help.

Shame about the other 20 odd square feet of skin I have but hey.

I have something you can try at home to see how this could work, when feeling hot, try putting your forearms in cold water or under running cold water and see how fast you can cool off your body with that small exposed area.

Probably work as well as those stupid commercials for the "chill hat" soak in water! 20 degrees cooler!
LMAO

You can laugh all you want but having your head wet, cool and in the shade can definitely keep you all around cooler.