The idea of wearing a digital “second brain” around your neck sounds like science fiction. Yet here we are with the Neosapien Neo 1, a pendant-style AI wearable priced at ₹9,999 (with a year of AI services bundled, and ₹499/month thereafter). Billed as India’s first AI-native wearable, the Neo 1 aims to augment your memory, organise your life, and even gauge emotions – all while hanging comfortably from a metal chain. With no direct competitors in the Indian market, Neo 1 is carving out a niche that’s equal parts ambitious and experimental. But does this futuristic pendant live up to its “superhuman” promise, or is it just a quirky gadget searching for a purpose?
I spent about a month with the Neo 1 draped around my neck. From design and comfort to its AI smarts and real-world usefulness, here’s a deep dive into this bold new wearable and whether it truly delivers on its claims.
Design and Comfort
At first glance, the Neosapien Neo 1 looks more like a sleek tech pendant than a typical piece of consumer electronics. It’s a rectangular module attached to a sturdy metal chain (included in the box) that you wear around your neck like a necklace. The design is minimalist and modern, think fitness tracker meets jewellery. There’s an understated logo and an LED indicator, but no obvious screens or buttons on the front. In fact, if you saw someone wearing it, you might not guess it’s a tiny computer; it could pass as a fashion accessory in the age of wearable tech.
Despite housing microphones, sensors, and its “Second Brain” circuitry, the Neo 1 is surprisingly lightweight. I barely noticed it after a few minutes of wear, and it sits flat enough to slip under a shirt if you want to be discreet. The build quality feels solid for a startup’s first-gen device – the casing is smooth with a matte finish that didn’t irritate my skin, and the chain is comfortable around the neck without pulling hair or pinching. NeoSapien’s team clearly put thought into the little details (they even shaped the chain’s hook like their logo in a nod to design nerds). It’s also reassuringly sturdy; I accidentally dropped it from table height and it survived without a scratch.
One thing to note: there’s no water resistance rating provided, so I treated it like any delicate gadget – safe from heavy rain or showers. Overall, wearing the Neo 1 feels natural. It doesn’t scream “gadget” at onlookers, and the comfort level is on par with a lightweight fitness band or pendant. If you’re used to smartwatches or earbuds, adding an AI necklace to your daily attire isn’t as odd as it sounds.
Display and Interaction
Here’s where the Neo 1 breaks from the norm. It doesn’t have a display at all. There’s no tiny screen, no AR projection, not even a speaker grille in sight. This device opts for a screen-free experience, which is a bold choice in a world where even rings and glasses are getting displays. Instead, the Neo 1 relies on an LED light and your smartphone for its interface. The small LED on the pendant lights up when the device is actively listening or processing, giving you (and those around you) a visual cue that it’s at work. Beyond that, interacting with Neo 1 is meant to be voice-first and app-first.
So how do you use it? Primarily through voice commands and the companion Neo app. You can double-tap the pendant or say a wake word (think “Hey NeoSapien”) to invoke your AI assistant. The Neo 1’s microphones will start listening (the LED confirms it), and you simply speak your request or let it capture the conversation. There’s a subtle vibration feedback when it activates (useful if you’re not looking at the LED). If you need to manually control things, a small multifunction button on the side lets you power it on/off and mute or trigger the assistant, but otherwise there are no other physical controls. It’s as screenless as it gets. A deliberate attempt to keep you heads-up and not looking down at a device, very much in line with the post-smartphone philosophy.
All outputs from the AI, be it transcriptions, answers, or reminders, are delivered through the smartphone app (and via audio through your phone or connected earbuds). In practice, I often found myself checking my phone to read the summaries or notifications from Neo 1. This tethered interaction means the experience isn’t entirely screen-free, but the idea is you only check your phone after the fact, not during the live moments. The lack of an onboard speaker also means the Neo 1 itself won’t talk back to you out loud (at least not in this version), which can be a good thing in public. Instead, if you ask it a question, you’ll get a ping on your phone with the answer or have it read out on your connected headphones. It’s a different paradigm that takes some getting used to, part silent secretary, part cloud-connected note-taker, but once I acclimated, I appreciated not having yet another screen glowing at me.
AI Capabilities (Your “Second Brain”)
The real magic of the Neo 1 lies in its promise of AI-powered assistance. NeoSapien calls this device a “Second Brain,” and for good reason. It uses a proprietary AI platform (Second Brain OS) to track conversations in real time, analyse emotional tone, organise tasks, and essentially record everything for your later recall. In essence, it’s trying to be the ultimate personal assistant that learns and evolves with you over time.
What does that mean in everyday use? Imagine you’re in a meeting or a casual chat, and you’ve enabled the Neo 1 to listen. It will transcribe the entire conversation in real time and even pick up on important details like names, dates, promises, or tasks that were mentioned. The device’s AI is smart enough to differentiate speakers using voice fingerprinting (so it knows Alice said the budget is due Friday, not Bob). It then uploads these transcripts to its cloud brain, where it analyses context and sentiment, essentially tagging moments where someone sounded excited or stressed, and noting key actionable items.
One of the flagship features is the Neo 1’s “unlimited memory.” All those conversations and notes it captures are stored (securely) in your personal cloud vault, theoretically forever, for you to search and reference later. In fact, the Neo app includes a powerful search function, so you can ask, for example, “What did my boss say about project X last week?” and boom – the relevant transcript or summary pops up if Neo 1 was listening. I tested this by letting the Neo 1 record a briefing and later searching for a specific term; sure enough, it pulled up the exact moment from the meeting notes. This kind of recall ability genuinely feels futuristic and incredibly handy for forgetful folks or those juggling many conversations.
The emotional analysis aspect is something NeoSapien touts strongly. The AI doesn’t just transcribe; it also interprets the tone and sentiment of conversations to help you understand the emotional undercurrents. In theory, this could help you be more empathetic or effective in communication, for instance, flagging that your client sounded hesitant at the mention of pricing (maybe a sign to follow up carefully). During my usage, the app did tag one conversation as “tense” in tone when voices were raised, which was roughly accurate, but how useful this is day-to-day is debatable. It’s a cool metric to have (“was I coming off too harsh in that chat?”), though I suspect its real benefit might be long-term emotional trend tracking or even mental health insights (something the investors on Shark Tank suggested focusing on)
Perhaps the most impressive (and initially unsettling) capability is how proactive the Neo 1 tries to be. Because it’s essentially always listening when active, it attempts to identify tasks or needs and act on them without you explicitly asking. For example, the founders claim that if you mention needing to book a flight in conversation, the Neo 1 can detect that and start taking action, looking up options or even initiating a booking based on your travel preferences. It integrates with your calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts automatically.
So, does the Neo 1 truly function as a second brain? In many ways, yes. It’s like carrying a personal stenographer, researcher, and secretary all in one, recording and processing everything you experience. During a hectic workday, I let Neo 1 capture multiple calls and in-person discussions. Later, I could review summaries of each: one meeting about project planning was distilled into a neat bullet list of decisions, another casual chat was logged with a note like “John sounded happy about the design changes.” In one instance, it impressively summarised a five-minute conversation into a concise paragraph, capturing the gist flawlessly. I found that I remembered and followed up on things I’d normally forget, simply because the AI nudged me with an afternoon summary: “Today’s conversations: 2 follow-up tasks identified.”
However, it’s important to temper expectations. The Neo 1’s AI is powerful, but it’s not omniscient. It can mishear like any speech recognition (especially in noisy environments), and sarcasm or subtle emotions can fly over its head. It’s best at facts and transcripts; the “insights” it provides are improving by the day but occasionally felt like a work-in-progress. Even so, having a searchable, shareable record of my interactions was a game-changer. It truly delivers a glimpse of that augmented memory sci-fi dream.
User Experience in Daily Life
All these AI features sound great on paper but what’s it actually like to use Neo 1 day-to-day? In a word: different. It redefines some habits and introduces new ones. My first day wearing the Neo 1, I’ll admit I felt a bit self-conscious. Tapping a necklace and talking to an AI felt reminiscent of Tony Stark chatting with JARVIS (which, to be fair, is exactly the vibe NeoSapien is going for). But by day two, it blended into my routine.
Setup was straightforward: download the Neo app, sign in, and pair the pendant via Bluetooth. The app walks you through calibration, including a quick voice training so it can better understand you. I granted it a slew of permissions (microphone, obviously, plus calendar access, notifications, etc.), basically handing it the keys to observe my digital life. Not a trivial ask, but necessary for it to be useful. Once up and running, Neo 1 stays connected to your phone and by extension to the internet. (If your phone’s data cuts out, the Neo 1 is essentially offline and will pause its AI functions – more on connectivity soon.)
Using the Neo 1 felt most natural in scenarios like meetings, lectures, or even long phone calls. Instead of frantically scribbling notes or trying to remember everything, I’d discreetly double-tap the pendant to start capturing. The LED glows blue to indicate recording, and I could just focus on the discussion. Knowing I’d get a summary and transcript later was a relief. It’s like having an invisible assistant taking notes in the corner of the room. After the meeting, a notification on my phone would confirm “Transcript ready” and even highlight a couple of “important points” the AI identified. Scanning through, I often saw to-do items that I might have missed otherwise. I could even copy-paste a summary to send to colleagues – huge productivity win.
In more casual use – say, walking around the house or commuting I tried using Neo 1 as an on-call concierge. A quick tap and I’d ask, “Hey Neo, what’s my schedule tomorrow?” Within seconds, I’d get a spoken reply in my earbuds pulling info from my calendar. It felt similar to using Siri or Google Assistant, except Neo 1 has the context of my meetings and convos. When I asked, “Do I owe anyone an email follow-up?”, it impressively checked recent conversations and actually responded, “You promised to email Raj about the design mockups.” That moment pretty much sold me on the potential here. It’s not perfect – the AI sometimes gives a generic “I’ll note that down” if it’s unsure but when it works, it really works.
Of course, wearing a mic that’s potentially always listening raises eyebrows. I made it a point to let friends and family know when Neo 1 was on, and the LED indicator helped signal that. Amusingly, some colleagues started jokingly prefacing chats with “Is your AI friend listening?” Privacy dynamics aside (we’ll dive into that soon), I found it easy to mute or deactivate Neo 1 with a press if I stepped into a sensitive situation. The device also times out of listening mode automatically after a period of no voice, to save battery and unnecessary data capture.
One challenge in user experience: trust and habit-building. You have to trust the Neo 1 to do its job (capture what matters) and also remember to use it at the right times. In the first couple of days, I occasionally forgot to activate it during a meeting, falling back to old note-taking habits. It takes a conscious effort to let this AI assistant into your workflow. But once I did, it gradually became second nature, much like one had to learn to speak to Alexa or wear a Fitbit daily, adopting a “neck AI” has a short learning curve.
For now, the Neo 1 feels best suited for professionals, students, or anyone who spends a lot of time in conversation and could benefit from having those interactions recorded and analysed. If your day is mostly solo work on a PC, the Neo 1 might sit idle. But if you’re hopping between calls, meetings, brainstorming sessions, and networking events, this device starts to feel indispensable. I also see huge potential for journalists (imagine automatically transcribed interviews) or doctors and lawyers (who need accurate records of discussions). In real-world use, I was pleasantly surprised: the Neo 1 mostly lives up to its promises of offloading the memory and note-taking burden from you. There’s nothing quite like reviewing your day and realising your AI caught details you completely forgot. That said, it’s not relieving you of all cognitive load – you still need to check those summaries and take action on them. Neo 1 won’t magically do your work, but it makes the prep and follow-up easier.
Connectivity and Performance
The Neo 1 is, at its core, a companion to your smartphone. It doesn’t have its own SIM card or independent internet connection, so you’ll need to keep it paired via Bluetooth to your phone, which provides the Wi-Fi or mobile data it needs. Think of it as an extension of your phone’s brain and ears. This tethered approach has its pros and cons.
On the plus side, using your phone for connectivity keeps the device light and battery-efficient. I never had to worry about managing a separate data plan for the pendant. The Bluetooth connection remained stable in my experience – I could leave the phone on my desk and walk around a large conference room with Neo 1 still capturing everything, no dropouts. If you stray too far (Bluetooth range ~30 feet), the pendant will locally store audio until it reconnects, at which point it uploads and processes it in the cloud. In testing, when I went out of range briefly, it synced seamlessly once I was back, and I didn’t lose any conversation chunks. That’s critical for a device whose whole point is to never forget.
However, the reliance on a phone means the Neo 1 is not truly standalone. If your phone battery dies or you’re in an area with no internet, the Neo 1 becomes a regular pendant; it can still record audio offline to its built-in storage, but none of the AI features will work until it’s online again. I encountered this in an elevator that inexplicably had no signal; the Neo app later showed a gap in the transcript from that period. It’s a reminder that this “AI wearable” is really part of a system, not an independent robot on your neck.
Performance-wise, I was impressed with the speed and responsiveness. Thanks to the heavy lifting being done on cloud servers, the Neo 1 can transcribe and respond quickly as long as it’s connected. On average, I got a response to questions or a ready summary within 4-5 seconds.
One thing to watch is your phone’s battery and data usage. Because Neo 1 streams audio to the cloud regularly, it will use some bandwidth (how much depends on how continuously you record). In my moderate use (maybe 1–2 hours of active listening a day), I didn’t blow through my data plan, but heavy users might want to be on Wi-Fi or have a generous data pack. As for battery, my phone (a recent Android) did drain a bit faster on days I used Neo 1 extensively, likely due to constant Bluetooth and background audio processing. It wasn’t a deal-breaker – maybe a 10-15% extra drain over a full day – but it’s noticeable. The Neo app is well-behaved otherwise and didn’t crash or hog resources beyond that.
Connectivity also extends to how Neo 1 integrates with other devices. Right now, it doesn’t directly connect to, say, your laptop or smart home devices – everything routes through the phone app. I would love to see future updates where, for instance, you could have Alexa or Google Assistant tap into Neo 1’s knowledge or let Neo 1 push notes to your desktop. As it stands, the ecosystem is closed (which is understandable for security and simplicity in these early days).
Bottom line: as long as you keep your phone nearby (in pocket or bag), the Neo 1 remains an ever-present wingman. If you were hoping to leave your phone behind and roam free with just the pendant, that’s not the case here. Neo 1 augments your smartphone; it doesn’t replace it. For most of us, that’s fine – the phone is never far away anyway.
Battery Life
Battery life is often the Achilles’ heel of advanced wearables, but the Neo 1 manages to impress here. Despite its always-listening capability and constant wireless chatter with the cloud, the pendant’s battery lasts around 2 to 3 days per charge under typical use. In my testing, I consistently got close to 2 full days of heavy usage (lots of meetings and voice interactions). On a lighter schedule, it stretched into the third day before the low battery alert popped up.
NeoSapien’s team likely achieved this by forgoing a power-hungry screen and offloading processing to the cloud. The pendant basically just handles recording, simple local tasks, and Bluetooth communications, which are relatively low-power activities. When not actively in use, it goes into a sleep mode that sips battery. I left it idle (but still on and connected) overnight and the battery dropped only ~5%. This means you don’t have to obsessively charge it every single night – a relief compared to yet another nightly charger on the bedside table.
Charging the Neo 1 is done via a standard USB-C port on the side (thank you for not using a proprietary charger!). A full charge took me about 90 minutes. I also appreciated that you can continue using it while charging, in case you’re at a desk and plugged in – it just looks like you’re charging your neckpiece, which is an odd sight, but the tech die-hards won’t mind. There’s no wireless charging here, which would have been cool for a pendant (imagine just dropping it on a pad or stand), but a cable isn’t a big hassle given infrequent charging.
One thing to note: if you plan to record hours and hours of continuous audio (say, an all-day conference), the battery will drain faster. Recording and transmitting constantly can cut that 3-day battery down significantly. In one torture test, I left it on live transcription for about 4 hours straight – the battery went from ~80% to 40%. Extrapolate and you’d probably get ~8-10 hours of nonstop use. But realistically, few people will do that. For spaced-out meetings, quick queries, and passive day-long wear, the battery holds up admirably.
App Integration and Ecosystem
The NeoSapien app is the central hub for all your second-brain data. Available on both Android and iOS, the app is where you manage settings, review content, and interact deeper with Neo 1’s AI. I found the app’s design clean and straightforward – a home feed shows recent “memories” (transcripts, summaries, insights from your day), and tabs for Calendar, Tasks, and Settings sit at the bottom. It’s not flashy, but it’s functional, which is what you need when dealing with loads of information.
One of the coolest aspects is how the Neo app categorises your voice data into Short-term and Long-term memory automatically. Recent conversations are in short-term for quick access, while older ones get archived as long-term (still searchable anytime). The idea is to mimic how a human brain prioritises recent info but never truly forgets the old stuff. The app’s search function is powerful – you can search by keyword, participant name, or even filter by emotion tags (e.g., find all meetings that were “positive”). It felt like having a personal Google for everything I’ve said or heard. Privacy concerns aside (addressed in the next section), this is immensely useful. I could type “budget deadline” and instantly find the meeting where my manager mentioned the date. No more scrambling through notebook pages or trying to recall if it was said over call or in person.
The Neo app also hooks into a wider ecosystem of your other apps and services. For instance, it integrates with your calendar and contacts, so it knows who you’re meeting and can log conversations under that event. It will also nudge you with reminders – after a meeting, it might say “You agreed to send the sales report to Prateek – add to tasks?” with one-tap to confirm, which then syncs to your to-do list. Speaking of tasks, the app can sync with task managers (currently it has its own basic task list, but integration with popular apps like Todoist or Notion is said to be coming).
For a first-gen device, the integration is surprisingly rich. I do think they need to be careful not to overextend – integrations can break or create confusing user experiences. But so far, everything worked as advertised for me. I will say the app occasionally felt a bit overwhelming – after a busy day, you might have a dozen new transcripts, insights, and suggestions in the feed. It’s ironically easy to forget to review your AI’s notes because you’re busy with life. Perhaps an end-of-day digest or weekly summary email from Neo 1 would help users digest their second brain’s output. .
Privacy and Data Security
Wearing an always-listening device inevitably raises the privacy question. NeoSapien is keenly aware of this, and the Neo 1 is designed with multiple privacy safeguards and policies to ease your worries. First off, all data the device captures is encrypted end-to-end and stored securely on NeoSapien’s cloud servers (hosted in India). The company emphasises that you, the user, own and control your data, not them. In the app, you can delete any conversation or data you want at any time, which (they claim) will purge it from their servers permanently. They also state they don’t sell or monetise your personal conversation data – in fact, the business model is subscription-based, so they have less incentive to exploit your info for ads. All of that is good on paper, aligning with standard data protection practices.
Crucially, the Neo 1 has that LED indicator and an audible chime to ensure transparency. When it’s recording or actively listening, the LED glows and it even gives a soft sound cue, so people around you aren’t unknowingly recorded . This is important for consent; NeoSapien built this into avoid the creepy factor of stealth recording. In my usage, whenever I tapped the device to start listening, the LED came on and a gentle tone played, so anyone with me could notice. It’s still up to the user to be ethical – you should inform people that you use such a device in meetings (just as one would when recording a call). I made it a habit to mention, “Hey, I’m using an AI note-taker pendant, hope that’s okay,” and nobody objected – some were intrigued, others shrugged it off.
What about compliance and regulations? The founders have said they’re compliant with India’s personal data protection laws and global GDPR-like guidelines. They don’t store sensitive personal info like passwords or payment details in the “memory” (and indeed, the device is not meant to listen to those situations – I noticed it actually paused when I took a credit card call, likely a precaution coded in). There’s also a plan to enable more local storage in future versions so that not everything has to live in the cloud. For now, though, cloud processing is central to how Neo 1 works.
I did ponder the worst-case scenarios: Could NeoSapien get hacked and my life’s conversations leak? It’s a slim risk but not impossible for any cloud service. The encryption means even if data were intercepted, it would be gibberish, but a breach of their servers could be problematic. We entrust so much to Google, Apple, etc., and this is a new company, so it’s fair to have a bit of caution.
In terms of privacy controls, you can mute the device at any time (there’s a physical mute toggle in the app and a long-press on the pendant does the same). When muted, it won’t record even if you try to wake it – a reassuring fallback if you’re entering a sensitive meeting. Also, if someone else says the wake word, the device doesn’t trigger – it recognises your voice primarily (thanks to voice fingerprinting). That prevents pranksters or unwanted activations.
One nifty feature: “Ghost Mode.” This is an option in the app that temporarily disables cloud syncing; the Neo 1 will still listen and locally transcribe, but nothing leaves the device. It’s meant for those ultra-private moments where you still want notes but are wary of cloud storage (e.g., a confidential discussion). You can later decide to upload it or just export the notes offline. I tried it once, and while a bit slower (since the tiny on-device processor isn’t as powerful as the cloud), it worked and gave peace of mind that the data wasn’t going anywhere external.
Conclusion
Priced at ₹9,999, the NeoSapien Neo 1 includes the pendant-style wearable and a one-year subscription to its AI services, with subsequent renewals at ₹499 per month. This pricing positions the Neo 1 uniquely: you’re not investing in a flashy screen or premium materials, but rather in the promise of productivity gains through sophisticated AI integration.
The initial ₹10k price tag feels reasonable if you’re someone whose daily routine involves back-to-back meetings, frequent interactions, and a constant need to manage information efficiently. Comparing Neo 1’s capabilities, automatic transcription, intelligent note-taking, and proactive task management, to the cost of a human assistant or even subscriptions to productivity apps, it presents solid value. The one-year bundled subscription is a particularly appealing touch, providing ample time to gauge the device’s practicality and integration into your workflow without immediate recurring expenses.
However, the ongoing subscription fee of ₹499 per month from the second year onwards could be a sticking point. Over several years, this significantly inflates the cost, potentially doubling the initial investment within three years. The subscription dependency also means that without regular payments, the Neo 1’s advanced AI features vanish, reducing it to a basic voice recorder. This ongoing expense might deter budget-conscious buyers or those hesitant about committing to a recurring charge, meaning NeoSapien must consistently enhance the offering to justify the fee.
Ultimately, purchasing a Neo 1 also means investing in the growth of a pioneering product category in India. Early adopters gain a unique tool and also help shape the future direction of this tech, benefiting from ongoing software updates and feature enhancements driven by user feedback.
