How many times have you laid down after a long day, ready to watch one of your favorite shows on Netflix only to pass out half way through the show? You wake up and have no idea where you are in the show and next time find yourself struggling to fast forward or rewind through important scenes you may or may not have seen. Wouldn’t it just be great if Netflix knew when you fell asleep and the show paused for you? Well, it just so happens that is now a reality. A pair of “Netflix Socks” will sense when you happen to doze off and send a signal to your streaming device pausing the show. Certainly sounds terrific, but there’s a catch…you need to make them yourself.
That’s right, these are not socks that you can just buy in a store. This is a DIY project where you create the socks yourself. A project that includes knitting, soldering and even some computer programming. Netflix offers a step by step guide on how to make the socks, but for your average consumer, it may be a bit too in depth. The sleep detection system is based on a popular method called actigraphy. It’s basically a mechanism that detects when you’ve stopped moving for a prolonged period of time and then sends a signal to the TV pausing the show.
Unfortunately, there are a number issues that will cause the socks to not work properly. Such as wearing them under a blanket while watching Netflix. The socks use an IR signal to pause the show once you’ve fallen asleep. A blanket would block that signal, therefore, rendering the socks useless. Another issue seems to be that the instructions seem to be geared towards Smart TV’s only. Since it uses an IR signal you won’t be able to use the socks with devices such as Roku, Apple TV or a PS4.
This is certainly not a cheap endeavour either. The recommended parts will set you back about $60 and the instructions call for the electronics to be sewn into the socks. With the electronics being sewn in, it eliminates the ability to wash them. Stinky socks can certainly ruin your plans for “Netflix and chill,” but on the plus side, the smell might end up keeping you awake during your show.
What are your thoughts on these socks? Is it a project you would like to try or is it just not worth it? Let us know in the comments below.
