Inventions to stop household arguments
If you’ve ever slept on the edge of your bed while your partner sprawls starfish-like across the rest of the space (I’m sorry husband, I can’t help it), then perhaps Ford has a solution. The car manufacturer has released a video detailing a ‘‘lanekeeping bed’’ for couples.
The design, currently a prototype, was inspired by technology that Ford uses for laneassistance in their cars.
If you’re driving along and start to drift out of your lane, sensors will nudge the steering wheel to alert you.
In the bed version, similar sensors will detect when you’ve invaded your partner’s space and activate a sort of conveyer belt that will gently shift you back to your side of the bed.
In a video that demonstrates the bed, sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley says we all move unconsciously during the night. ‘‘We make 12 to 20 major sleep positional changes,’’ he says, before a demo of the anti-bedhogging technology kicks in.
Could it work in my house? I’m not convinced.
Although I am a certified ‘‘space invader’’ (Ford’s phrase, not mine), I am also a light sleeper – so although my long-suffering husband might get more space, he will have to put up with me moaning about being kept up all night (yes, it will be my own fault, but that won’t stop me complaining about it).
Although the bed is a gimmick, it does seek to solve a real problem; studies show that one in four people in relationships sleep better alone.
Bed-hogging isn’t the only household issue that couples argue about. Throw in some kids and you’ve got a literal house full of issues that clever inventors can fix.
Let’s look at some of the best (or, as the case may be, worst).
Put down toilet seat
The TipAlert is a special alarm aimed at young boys.
When they’re using the toilet, a light will start flashing and a voice will sing, ‘‘Hey little man, put the seat down,’’ to the tune of London Bridge (not at all terrifying).
When the seat does get put down, a crowd can be heard cheering. It’s a great way to encourage the habit but potentially sets little Johnny up for an over-developed sense of personal achievement.
Although it’s aimed at young boys, this tech can be used for adults too, as the reviews attest.
‘‘Helped get my ex to put the effing lid down,’’ wrote Booboo. Mariko was less impressed: ‘‘Doesn’t play music long enough for a man. By the time my fiance is done peeing, the music reminder has stopped playing and he forgets to put the lid down!’’
Make your bed
The Ohea smart bed actually makes itself, saving you the bother of doing it yourself. Dubbed the ‘‘laziest invention ever’’ by the Evening Standard, the bed will automatically straighten out the bedding when you get up.
The designers behind it say making the bed is a daily chore that must be carried out with some people unable to leave the house until it’s done.
‘‘This often gives rise to conflicts and arguments between parents and children,’’ they said in 2012 when the prototype was launched.
Fold the laundry
The FoldiMate is the answer to one of the most boring household irritations – the laundry. The device, which is the size of an industrial washing machine, was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last year.
Unfortunately, its bulky size and hefty price tag ($1420) are not the only issues with this ‘‘timesaving’’ device.
For one, clothes have to be manually fed into the machine, so it doesn’t exactly take the load off your hands. On top of that, the FoldiMate doesn’t iron clothes, or (more crucially) put them away.
Of course, while there does seem to be an actual invention for almost every household chore or irritant that you can imagine, there is also a lot to be said for patience, understanding and screaming into a pillow.