You can wear Sony's concept wireless headphones around your neck

Sony's all-new R&D division showed off its first concept at at South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in the US. Code named N, the wireless headphones don't require you to actually wear them on your ears. You can instead wear them on your neck and use directional speakers to aim audio upwards to your ears.

And for those who don't wish to disturb others while listening to music, the headphones have a a more traditional pair of earphones -- but not the regular ones.

READ ALSO:Sony MDR XB650BT headphones review: An absolute delight for music lovers

The tube shaped earphones feature pen backs, allowing the headphones to transmit audio, and at the same time letting the user listen things around him. Concept N also comes with voice control and a camera.

So the aim behind Future Labs' Concept N seems clear -- it will enable you to listen to music without shutting out the outside world. And this can prove to be highly beneficial to those who walk or skate while wearing headphones, as they cannot afford not to listen to the sounds around them.

READ ALSO:Sony's PlayStation Vue launches across US
Concept N is from Sony's new R&D project called the Future Lab Program. It aims to involve customers in the design process of future products. It is similar to Sony initiatives like the Life Space UX series.