The world today is constantly updating, innovating and researching ways of making our lives easier, and anything which saves time or increases utility is always appreciated. Some technological inventions of the 21st century such as the Internet and smartphones have unique places in people’s lives because they serve a wide variety of purposes, including both saving time and maximizing utility. However, while not all inventions reach the valuable or noteworthy status, often there are some which can turn to be quite bizarre or idiosyncratic even though they might happen to serve their purpose quite well. So without further ado, let’s take a peek at some of the wackiest inventions of the past year.
Selfie Stick
Even though it has been received well by the public and people are extremely enthusiastic about it, the selfie stick is without a doubt a genuinely weird contraption. How it works is fairly simple: you attach your smartphone on the end of what looks like an umbrella handle, and it extends out enabling you take a picture of yourself from a distance which is far beyond an average arm span. Even though people are no longer limited by the close-quarter frame of a picture which is only good for about 2-3 people, the selfie stick does make a person with the extended arm look a tad bit peculiar while also maximizing the population within a picture.
Full Body Umbrella
Quite popular in Japan, this ridiculous apparatus looks more like a planetarium than an umbrella but it also happens to be exceedingly effective. Possibly the modern equivalent of a raincoat, the full-body umbrella keeps you completely dry in almost all kinds of rain, but probably with the exception of hailstorms. Although it’s very practical for situations where you need to be completely dry during a torrential downpour, it will make you look like Jake Gylenhaal in Bubble Boy, which is definitely a fashion faux pas.
Ostrich Pillow
Power napping or sleeping on the go will never be the same thanks to the revolutionary Ostrich Pillow. It’s a round, bulging headgear similar in shape to an astronaut’s helmet, and gets its name from the fact that ostriches sleep with their head buried in the sand. According to its makers, it’s neither a pillow, nor a cushion, nor a bed, nor a garment, but a bit of each at the same time, which makes it an extraordinary innovation on the basic necessity of sleeping. It can be easily carried around, allowing the owner to catch a few winks of sleep wherever they may be, and is best suited for travelers on the road or people who need to sleep during unconventional hours at odd places. The only downsides to the Ostrich Pillow is that it might attract onlookers as it makes the wearer look like an extra-terrestrial being and also might feel congested or induce claustrophobia.
Football Chair
I am not sure whether this is absolutely genius or completely ridiculous or both, but it certainly looks unique and entertaining! The wild and wacky Football Chair is an ordinary chair with extended spaces between the front legs and a goalpost beneath, which means people can sit and talk while simultaneously have a football match going on during their conversation. This is a very ingenious way to combine a comfortable utility with an athletic amenity, and would ‘sit’ very well with people of all ages. Personally, I am quite taken with this concept and would love to own a couple Football Chairs myself, and why not? From the looks of it, it doesn’t really seem like a bad idea!
LED Slippers
Remember those light-up shoes from way back when we were too young to pick out our own shoes? The LED Slippers took that concept to a whole other level and replaced the cheap strobe lights with LED lights. No longer will you have to suffer in darkness during those nightly trips to the bathroom or refrigerator, but rather to enjoy making other people in the household freak out with your approaching glowing feet! The LED Slippers combine ordinary slippers with LED lights on the front which are quite useful in lighting up the path or seeing where you’re walking as to avoid unnecessary bumps or accidents. It’s an intriguing spin on a rather old concept, and I wonder how it would look with the lights on other sides and on the feet of a ballerina or Michael Jackson.