Netflix's New Sleep Sensing Socks!

#1

What do you get if you combine an Arduino, knitting, a fair amount of DIY chutzpah, and a genetic and/or epigenetic predisposition towards falling asleep while watching TV? Netflix socks, of course.

A few months ago, some enterprising types at Netflix created The Switchessentially a single button to dim the lights, silence your mobile phone, order takeaway, and start streaming your favourite show or film. Netflix shared the schematics and parts list for The Switch so that you could make your own.

#2

Now they've done it again with a pair of socks that automatically pauses your stream if you fall asleep. Let's be clear: making a pair of Netflix socks won't be easy, nor will it be cheap. The parts/materials list adds up.

The socks read your body to understand when you're sleeping, and then your show is automatically paused. The system uses "actigraphy," which uses an accelerometer to tell when you've stopped moving for a while.

#3

They've even given DIY instructions so you can make them yourself, here's what you need:

Knit socks

Arduino microcontroller

IR LEDs

LED indicator light

Battery

Momentary button

Accelerometer

12×12 piece of felt

#4

After you have the components, you make a smart insert for your sock. Then you slip it in the sock. Fold over the LED light part so you can see when it senses you're asleep. When it does, it will flash to warn you, and if you move at all it will cancel the countdown.

#5

If the countdown is not canceled, then your show is paused, just like that. Awesome, right? Netflix knows you so well.

Obviously, these socks aren't totally accurate, but it's the thought that counts, right?

#6