Smart socks pause the TV for Netflix viewers

Everybody can tell about these incidents of falling asleep watching a movie only to awaken in time for the closing credits. Perhaps you’ve settled in for some TV binge watching only to look up to find yourself deep into the third episode with no frame of reference for what’s going on.

Video streaming service Netflix is putting its foot down on this haphazard televiewing habit by offering a way to avoid both sleep deprivation and rewinding: a pair of socks that pause the TV if you fall asleep. And you probably already have some of what you need to make a pair of the “smart socks.”

An accelerometer that you can sewn into your socks determines when you’ve stopped moving—a reasonably good indication that you’ve nodded off—and sends a signal to your TV that pauses the stream. It warns you first, though, with a flashing red LED in the sock cuff that tells you that you need to move or the show will be on pause.

If you’re the do-it-yourself type, Netflix also provides knitting patterns for socks, including embroidery patterns for graphics.