Technology – this single word conjures up images of grim
looking people, swathed in spotless white lab coats and bent over their
workstations, assiduously working up some wonderful invention one after
another! But once in a while, the façade is broken to reveal sparks of humor –
or still rarer – a roar of laughter!
It is Friday today, just the right day to recount some of the
most humorous side-effects of technology. Here is the first one –
1)
iPotty
This could be a great blow for
parents who have been ceaselessly toiling in their efforts to train there
little one to do the daily business in a peaceful way – or at least remain stationary
in the required spot till nature takes care of the job itself!
2)
Clocky
For those who have deduced that
this would be a clock, congratulations – you are right. But this is no ordinary
clock – consider yourself warned! It is an alarm clock – and if you hit the
snooze button a second time, it kicks into action – literally! It will simply
run away, hide into a place unknown, and then sound a shrill alarm. What choice
do you have, except to get up, find it and shut it up, and by then, you will be
very irritated and very awake! And oh, it has a smarter sibling now –
imaginatively named Tocky.
3)
Bra-cum-Gas Mask
Its patent application is
deliberately innocent sounding – saying the patent is simply for a “garment
device convertible to one or more face masks”. In case of a deadly gas attack,
for example, the wearer of the said “garment device” can convert it into two
gas masks – one for herself, and one for the nearest stunned bystander.
4)
Speech Jammer
A pair of Japanese researchers has
come up with this device. It can be used to disrupt speeches – it just records
the speech on the fly, and plays it back after a very small delay. To the
person inflicting the speech, it will sound like an irritating listener who is
repeating everything that he is saying. It is most likely to find use with
political activists – who will probably use it at political conventions!
