Virgin Media’s new wearable controls your TV if you fall asleep

It’s likely that there have been many occasions where you’ve drifted off while watching TV, missing parts of your favourite programme in the process. Thankfully this new wearable from Virgin Media means that’s no longer going to be a problem.

It’s called KipstR, and it’s a 3D printed wristband that can actually detect when its wearer falls asleep. If you do drift off in front of the TV, it will communicate with your Virgin TiVo box and record the rest of whatever programme you were watching. Once you wake up it’ll then tell TiVo to continue playback. If that wasn’t enough, it also measure your emotional reaction to various programmes so your TiVo box gets a better understanding of what you like.

KipstR comes from a collaboration between Virgin Media and two students from the Manchester Creative Studio. The students in question are Ryan Oliver (15), and Jonathan Kingsly (14). So at an age where most of us are carefree, or stressing about our GCSEs, these two created something most of us could benefit from.

KipstR isn’t available to buy just yet, but Virgin is trialling the device over Christmas.  If you are a Virgin Media TiVo customer you can register your interest here. If you’re not a TiVo customer then you’re out of luck, because it won’t even let you try.