| Creativity knows no bounds. Let us take the Japanese | | | | a little more discreet) |
| for example: the gadgets they come up with are | | | | 3. Plunger Helmet |
| amazing. Some are useless but then again, it takes a | | | | When the Nap Alarm fails, you can always use the |
| lot to think of something and then actually pull through | | | | Plunger Helmet. Not when driving of course. The |
| with it. Only the Japanese have the guts to | | | | Plunger Helmet is a gadget you use when you fall |
| conceptualize strange gadgets like that and then | | | | asleep on the train. It basically looks like a hard hat; the |
| actually produce it. For that reason, I'm putting the | | | | typical helmet construction workers use, but then it has |
| spotlight on several strange gadgets. | | | | a plunger attached to the back part of it. The plunger |
| Here are a couple of favorites: | | | | keeps your head in place. It is actually more helpful for |
| 1. Noodle Eater's Hair Guard | | | | your seatmates rather than yourself as this prevents |
| Do you have long hair? Does it annoy you when your | | | | you from swinging madly from side to side. Perhaps if |
| hair suddenly falls and dips in your bowl of soup? Being | | | | you're going to buy one, you'd rather use it on a |
| primarily a country who takes pride in their noodles, it's | | | | drowsy seatmate than yourself. |
| only natural that the Japanese are starting to get | | | | 4. The Amazing Shoe Umbrella |
| annoyed at that experience. So what do they do? | | | | For people who buy designer shoes and wouldn't dare |
| They invent! Basically, the Noodle Eater's Hair Guard is | | | | have anything soil their footwear, the Japanese |
| a pink rubber gadget that fits snugly just around the | | | | thought of something that would aid them. It doesn't |
| face. It's similar to a dog cone actually, only it doesn't | | | | matter if your whole body gets wet, as long as your |
| cover the whole head but just the face. In any case, | | | | shoes remain untouched. How this amazing umbrella |
| when you wear it, you'd still look like you're wearing a | | | | can fit into your shoes without destroying it is an |
| dog cone. This peculiar gadget is not only strange, but | | | | unknown fact but as long as it keeps water out of the |
| of all colors it just had to be pink. | | | | shoes then the inventors are satisfied. |
| 2. Nap Alarm | | | | These are just four of a lot of Japanese gizmos and |
| This is particularly interesting for me. The Nap Alarm is | | | | gadgets that made its way to the market. The |
| the perfect gadget if you find yourself sleeping in | | | | conceptualization of these gadgets seems to be |
| between classes, lectures or even driving. You place | | | | logical. The addressing of a simple need is what |
| the Nap Alarm just over your ear and through its | | | | propelled the invention of these weird gadgets. Isn't |
| electronic motion sensing feature, it calculates when | | | | that what consumerism is all about though? Isn't it all |
| you're about to nod your head off and then it sends a | | | | about the creation of something that satisfies a simple |
| loud sound right in your ear if it senses that you're | | | | need? If that's the case then we can safely say that |
| about to fall asleep therefore saving you from | | | | these gadgets fulfill those needs. Perhaps what we |
| embarrassment or even death. (Though I doubt that an | | | | should laugh at is how absurd our needs are. Not the |
| alarm would make the fact that you're about to sleep | | | | gadgets that are made to satisfy them. |