DUMB INVENTIONS

Curved Barrel Machine Gun, 1953
The 20th century saw many astounding technological innovations. The automobile revolutionized the way people live and work, the internet changed the way people think about information, and the U.S. of A put a man on the moon. But some technological advances that came in the earlier part of the 20th centry weren't exactly meant for the history books. Because they were stupid. Take, for example, this M3 sub-machine gun with a curved barrel for shooting around corners. It's the perfect gun for the "shoot first, look where you're shooting later" kind of guy.
Photo: Keystone/Getty Images
Jan 12, 1952

Anti-Bandit Bag, 1963
Inventor John H T Rinfret demonstrates his anti-bandit bag. To foil thieves the chain is pulled and the bottom of the case falls out so the contents are scattered over the floor. That'll stop those thieves from getting at the contents of your bag! No, wait. It won't.
Photo: Fred Mott/Getty Images
Aug 27, 1963

Hubbard Electrometer, 1968

American science fiction writer and founder of the Church of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard uses his Hubbard Electrometer to determine whether tomatoes experience pain, 1968. His work led him to the conclusion that tomatoes "scream when sliced."

Photo: Evening Standard/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1968

Cup Bras, 1949
Charles L. Langs poses with his strapless, backless, wireless, support-less bras. His wife is justifiably dubious.
Photo: Nina Leen/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
May 01, 1949

Finnish Portable Sauna, 1962 Photo: Yale Joel/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

Jan 01, 1962

Baby Cage, 1937
A nanny supervising a baby suspended in a wire cage attached to the outside of a high tenement block window. The cages were distributed to members of the Chelsea Baby Club in London who have no gardens, or qualms about putting a child in a box dangling over a busy street.
Photo: Reg Speller/Getty Images
Jun 23, 1937

Laryngaphone, 1929

A man at a shipping exhibition in Olympia, London, demonstrating the ''Laryngaphone,'' a noise-excluding telephone which only transmits vibrations from the vocal chords when the microphone is placed against the throat or cheek. For the man who wants to annoy both his wife and his mistress
Photo: S. R. Gaiger/Getty Images
Sep 11, 1929

Motorized Surfboard, 1948
Hollywood inventor Joe Gilpin riding his motorized surfboard.
Photo: Peter Stackpole./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Apr 01, 1948

Rainy Day Cigarette Holder, 1954

President of Zeus Corp., Robert L. Stern, smoking a cigarette from his self-designed rainy day cigarette holder.
Photo: YALE JOEL
Mar 01, 1954

Rocket Belt, 1961
Engineer Harold Graham salutes President Kennedy after demonstrating Rocket Belt for him.
Photo: John Loengard./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Jan 01, 1961

Honegar, 1959

Inventor of a honey and vinegar mixture, called Honegar, Dr. DeForest C. Jarvis. Honegar was said to be a folk remedy for aches and pains, though it mainly sounds like a cure for lack of nausea.
Photo: Fritz Goro./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Dec 01, 1959

Illuminated Tires, 1961
A woman adjusts her stocking by the light of the Goodyear's illuminated tires. The tire is made from a single piece of synthetic rubber and is brightly lit by bulbs mounted inside the wheel rim.
Photo: Douglas Miller/Getty Images
Oct 16, 1961

Shower Hood, 1970

For the woman who likes to put makeup on her dirty face.
Photo: Keystone/Getty Images
Feb 12, 1970

Cigarette Pack Holder, 1955 Photo: Jacobsen/Getty Images
Jan 01, 1955

Fast-Draw Robot, 1960

Robot equipped with fast-draw invention shoots it out with live gunner. It's always easy to question the wisdom of giving a robot a gun, but also making him quick on the draw is just irresponsible.
Photo: J. R. Eyerman./Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
Jun 01, 1960

Get slim on the office treadmill

The workstation can increase energy expenditure

Obesity experts have developed a vertical workstation which helps employees take exercise and shed weight as they work.

The designers, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, said it could help obese people to lose up to 30kg a year.

Fifteen obese volunteers burned an average of 191 calories an hour using the treadmill, compared to 72 calories just sitting at their desk.

The study features in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

This is clearly something that is slightly gimmicky, but if it is a way of getting people with sedentary lifestyles off of their backsides then that has got to be a good thing John Brewer Lucozade Sports Science Academy Exercise and work - we put theory into action

The workstation, which is designed to be used for two to three hours a day, comprises a computer, keyboard and treadmill.

The steel frame of the device is shaped in the form of the letter "H" and is supported by four locking rubber wheels, so that it can be moved about easily.

The frame holds a Plexiglass panel on to which two adjustable arms are bolted - one to hold the computer screen and the other for the keyboard and mouse.

Slats provide storage for personal items such as flower vase, cup holder, pen holder or paper tray.

The adjustable design enables users to walk and work, stand and work, or, if the treadmill is replaced by a high chair, sit and work. The speed of the treadmill can also be adjusted by the user.

Sedentary jobs

The 14 men and one women who took part in the trials all had sedentary office jobs, and none took part in any regular exercise.

While using the workstation, they walked at the equivalent of one mile an hour.

Their energy expenditure while using the workstation for 35 minutes every hour was compared to that while working at their desk.

The researchers said: "If sitting computer time were replaced by walking-and-working, energy expenditure could increase by 100 kcal (calories) per hour.

"Thus, if obese individuals were to replace time spent sitting at the computer with walking computer time by two to three hours a day, and if other components of energy balance were constant, a weight loss of 20-30 kilograms per year could occur."

Obesity rates are soaring across much of the developed world, and many people blame a hectic lifestyle for failing to make time to exercise.

An increase in sedentary leisure activities, such as using a computer, has also been blamed.

More than 12m adults and one million children in England alone will be obese by 2010 if no action is taken, a report by the Department of Health predicted last year.

John Brewer, director of the Lucozade Sports Science Academy, said: "The growing obesity epidemic is something that requires drastic action.

"This is clearly this is something that is slightly gimmicky and unusual, but if it is a way of getting people with sedentary lifestyles off of their backsides then that has got to be a good thing."

Mr Brewer said the workstation could potentially appeal to people who found pounding out miles on a treadmill tedious by allowing them to combine it with a more interesting activity.

The desks cost £1,000 each.