Are these the cleverest inventions ever? Fascinating photos reveal the specialist tools that look confusing at first glance but have a VERY useful function
- Everyday items that make our days easier can look very odd from first glance
- The Rocket Science blog compiled some of the weirdest-looking gadgets
- Includes anything from a tree-mover to fake flesh for surgeons-in-training
Whether it’s a kitchen appliance that makes food prep quicker or a useful DIY tool, we all have our favourite gizmos and gadgets that make life that little bit easier.
But some clever inventors have taken things a step further with ingenious creations that can carry out some pretty impressive feats – from refuelling helicopters mid air to moving an entire tree intact.
The Rocket Science blog compiled some of the specialist tools from around the world that ‘look confusing at first glance’ but are incredibly useful in everything from practicing surgery to protecting babies from inury.
Here are some of the weirdest-looking, yet most useful gadgets and inventions on the list.
This pad mimics human flesh, which allows medical students to practice incisions and stitching of different shapes of wounds
This backpack is designed to protect a baby’s head, with the circular ‘head’ of the bee perfectly fitting the back of their skull if they were to fall back
In order to re-fuel while in the air, military helicopters use a device known as a Role Fit Probe so that they don’t have to waste time landing and taking off again
This specialist cleaning machine helps make sure the street signs are spic and span so that drivers can see them clearly
When trees have to be moved from one place to another, they can be dug up by a giant hydraulic spade and transported with the roots intact to be planted elsewhere
These are special scissors to help train children on how to use the tool – the extra hole either side is for an adult to put their fingers in too, as well as rounded ends to keep the child safe
This seat belt is designed for pregnant women to help car travel much more comfortable, and prevents their bump being squashed if there’s an accident
For those who prefer to sit cross-legged on their seats, this is for you – with either two layers or one ultra wide seat, this desk chair is perfect for getting comfortable at work
The ‘Barnacle’ is a parking enforcement implement used in the US, which stops people from driving until they pay their parking fines, and it stuck on the windshield with suction pads
This lift was designed for disabled people who are wheelchair-bound to be able to get into tall trucks like this one, providing a safe way to get in and out of large vehicles
It looks like a giant sweetcorn, but these cows are are scratching themselves on a cow brush that helps keep the cattle clean and free of parasites – as well as have a general scratch
Little and large: This is a massive Allen Key, also known as a Giant Allen Wrench, and is used for driving bolts and screws into a hexagonal socket, but this is designed for industrial machinery
This snow-clearing machine in the US helps larger vehicles like buses and trucks save a lot of time by removing the snow off the roof
This is a nitrogen dry shipper, and transports cryo-preserved stem cells and vaccines safely
These are called baffle balls, and are put inside water containers when transporting water from one place to another. They stop water slopping from side-to-side when travelling
This is a titanium-coated butter knife that has special copper alloy heat tubes to help butter spread easier on your bread – and heats up when in your hand
This wall-vacuum is really a shoe-dryer… you switch on the heat and put the pipes into the shoes and the shoes will dry quicker than on the radiator
This device put on the front of cars was made in 1927 in Berlin, Germany, to catch people walking across the road when not at a crossing
Industrial machinery often has tires that can deal with the extreme heats from sites like steel mills, and can deal with temperatures of 2000 Fahrenheit and above
This is a label maker, which helps you to note what is in the bottles and the best-before dates
This handy tool is for those with air conditioning – it is a fin comb that straightens the fins of an air conditioning unit or heat pump system to help keep the air flowing properly
This is a Velometer, which measures the airspeed in a specific area, ensuring adequate airflow