I reviewed AI pendant from startup that faced theft at India AI Summit

Priced at Rs 15,999, Neo 1 is a pendant-style AI wearable device by the Indian startup Neosapien that records, transcribes and organises your conversations into searchable memory

I have been reviewing gadgets for some time now and I am used to smart wearables such as smartwatches, earbuds, even smart rings. But a pendant that quietly records, summarises and reminds you of what you said two days ago? That feels like a step further.

 

The Neosapien Neo 1 is exactly that. It is a made-in-India AI wearable that positions itself as a “second brain.” I have been using the Neo 1 for over two weeks now — in meetings, during interviews, in casual conversations, and even at home — to understand whether this is a genuinely useful tool or just an interesting experiment.

 

 

Priced at Rs 15,999, it is not cheap. It is also clearly built for a niche audience. But it is one of the more unusual devices I have used so far.

What Neo 1 actually does

At its core, the Neo 1 is a voice-first AI wearable. It has no screen. No speaker. No flashy interface. It is a slim rectangular module attached to a metal chain, designed to sit around your neck like a pendant.

 

You activate it with a tap or a wake phrase. A small LED lights up to indicate that it is listening. Everything else happens through the companion app on your phone.

 

The Neo 1 listens to conversations, transcribes them, summarises key points, identifies action items, and stores everything in a searchable format inside the app. It also tries to understand context — who said what, what was important, what sounded uncertain, and what needs follow-up.

It works with both Android and iOS. In my experience, setting it up on an iPhone was easier. On Android, some of the permissions vary from brand to brand and can be slightly tricky to configure. Once set up, though, the app interface is clean, intuitive and easy to navigate.

 

There is no independent SIM or internet connectivity on the device itself. It relies on your phone via Bluetooth and uses cloud processing for AI features. So it is not a standalone computer. It is an extension of your smartphone.

What works in its favour

Context understanding is surprisingly good

 

The strongest part of the Neo 1 is how accurately it understands conversations most of the time. Even in informal chats where people switch between languages, use slang, interrupt each other, or speak in a crowded environment, the device manages to capture context fairly well. It is not perfect, but it is more reliable than I expected.

 

Word-to-word transcripts are available, but they can be a bit hard to read because raw speech rarely looks clean on paper. Where the Neo 1 really helps is in summarisation. It pulls out key themes, action items, and decisions in a way that feels usable.

 

The wearer’s transcripts — meaning the parts where I was speaking — were clear for the most part. That made it easier to track commitments I made during conversations.

 

Search and the AI chatbot

 

The search feature is what turns this from a simple recorder into something more interesting. You can search for topics, names, or specific keywords across past conversations. Instead of thinking, “When did we discuss the pricing change?” you can simply search and find the exact conversation.

 

Similarly, the companion app has a built-in assistant that can pull up context from your saved memories (conversation summaries and transcripts). This makes searching for a particular topic from a longer discussion easier.

 

For anyone who handles multiple meetings or interviews daily, this reduces cognitive load. You do not have to rely purely on memory.

 

Clean app experience

 

The companion app is minimal and functional. It does not try to overwhelm you with flashy graphics. Conversations are organised clearly. You can view transcripts, summaries, and identified tasks in one place.

 

On iOS, the setup and syncing felt smoother. On Android, depending on the device, you might need to manually enable certain background permissions. But once configured correctly, the experience remains stable.

 

The interface feels refined. It does what it is meant to do without unnecessary clutter.

 

Design and comfort

 

The Neo 1 does not look like a gadget in the traditional sense. It looks more like a minimalist pendant.

 

The build quality is solid. Even the plastic elements do not feel cheap. The chain is sturdy and comfortable. It is also extremely light. I wore it for an entire day multiple times and did not feel any discomfort.

 

It sits flat against your chest and does not attract too much attention. That matters for a device that is always listening.

 

It handles mixed environments well

 

I used it in relatively quiet rooms and in moderately noisy spaces. It managed background noise decently well. It also handled multilingual conversations better than I expected. This makes it usable in real-world conditions rather than only controlled environments.

A few concerns

Battery life is acceptable, not impressive

 

Battery is not the highlight here. It can carry you through a full working day of moderate use, which is fine. But if you are recording for extended periods continuously, you will need to recharge sooner.

 

Charging is via USB-C and straightforward. Still, for a device that positions itself as an “always-on” assistant, longer battery life would have made it more seamless.

 

It is still a niche product

 

This is not a mass-market wearable. If your work does not involve frequent conversations, meetings, interviews, or collaborative discussions, you may not see much value.

 

It is not a fitness tracker. It is not a smartwatch. It does not show notifications on your wrist. It serves a very specific purpose: capturing and organising spoken interactions.

 

Privacy will always be a concern

 

Even with LED indicators and encryption claims, wearing an always-listening device requires a behavioural shift. You have to inform people. You have to be comfortable with cloud storage of conversations. Not everyone will be.

 

While the device does offer mute controls and data deletion options, trust plays a big role here.

Who is it for and should you buy it?

If your daily routine is conversation-driven, this device can reduce friction. It captures details you might otherwise forget. It makes follow-ups easier. It gives you searchable memory.

 

At Rs 15,999, it sits on the pricier side for what is essentially a pendant. And it is clearly not built for everyone. But it delivers a refined experience in its category and does well what it is designed to do.

 

The Neo 1 does not feel like a gimmick. It feels like an early step toward a different way of interacting with AI — one that is less about screens and more about ambient assistance. It is not revolutionary yet. It is not perfect. But it works reliably enough to make you rethink how much of your mental load could be offloaded.

 

If that idea appeals to you, the Neo 1 is worth considering. If not, it is easy to live without — at least for now.

 

 

 

 

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