Future...Scary

Coach class, 1937

2011-11-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

A little known aeronauttical fact is that the Russians invented economy air travel.

Dynasphere, 1932

2011-11-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

This one wheeled car, or unicycle, was named The Dynasphere by its inventor, Dr JH Purves. It travels at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour (50kmh) and is steered by leaning to one side or the other.

Frankly, I don't know why he named it the dynasphere. Or why he invented it.

Mobile phone, 1940

2011-11-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Here it is folks, the world's first mobile phone!

This is the upgraded model with video component.

Toothbrush with plunger device, 1930

2011-10-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

Now why didn't this one catch on? Save yourself the hassle of using one hand to brush your teeth, and instead use one hand to hold the toothbrush while using the other to push a plunger in and out, which causes the cleaning head to spin around, thus cleaning your teeth.

Brilliant.

Bed Cooling System, 1959

2011-10-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is a "cool" idea! Its a sleeve that goes over a standard house fan and can be tucked under the bedcovers to keep one cool on hot nights. This young lady certainly seems to be enjoying the breeze blowing up from the lower regions.

Alternatively, she could just remove that heavy quilt.

Skycot, 1955

2011-10-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Please take care when opening overhead compartments as items move around during flight."

Automatic Bartender, 1956

2011-10-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

This automatic bartender (the machine, not the woman) was designed to mix a drink in 3 seconds. Upside - you get your drink in 3 seconds. Downside - no bartender to listen to your drunken ramblings or dispense sage advice.

Although this one never caught on, people obviously think it's a good idea. A quick search on YouTube shows literally dozens of contemporary versions of this, ranging from the home made to the technically advanced. This is my favourite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IfJywRrcRw&feature=related

Hands Free Phone, 1945

2011-10-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Actually I like this one. Simple, concise, fills a need - talk on the phone at work while you do the crossword and smoke!

Is it just me or does this guy look like Kevin from The Office (US version)?

Motorized Roller Skates, 1926

2011-10-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

The first time I ever saw motorized roller skates were those worn by one Wyle E. Coyote in a brilliant, but thwarted, attempt to capture a road runner. However, this pair, designed and built in Germany by an engineer named Gerhardt, predated the Acme Company's version by decades. The idea never really seemed to take off, so to speak, until quite recently: http://gizmodo.com/314473/ishoes-movin-and-groovin-at-15mph I'm still trying to work out where the brakes are.

Bubble office building, 1958.

2011-09-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

This bubble office building was made of transparent plastic and was held up by pressure created from a small fan and kept aloft by airlock doors. Electricity bills are lowered by natural lighting, which was probably a little too effective. The sail like object is an umbrella, used to shade the staff as they toil.

Actually, this is not quite as silly as it looks. The dome was designed and built by the G.T. Schjeldahl Company which sold these "Schjeldomes" to be used as swimming pool covers, storage buildings and the like. It was also the basis of their design for research balloons, and the company was hired by NASA in the early 1960s to build satellite structures and supports made from a similar product. Early satellites, such as Echo 1 were entirely designed for NASA by G.T. Schjeldahl. http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A20030090000 . the Company is still operating today in Minnesota, employing around a thousand people. Their offices have roofs.