Ananova: Inventors' strap-on duck will keep you awake

Ananova ^ | July 23, 2002

[JediGirl]

Argentinian inventors have created a strap-on rubber duck which they claim will combat tiredness.

The Duckmaster fastens around the user's neck and starts quacking if the owner's head slumps forward.

The Patomaster group is selling the Duckmasters online for £7 (about $11) on their website.

Their publicity says: "This is a derisory price for a product that can change your life."

The Duckmaster is being marketed as "an ultra-efficient anatomical wake-up device" which "means being sleepy won't get you into trouble."

The website contains testimonials from satisfied users including a student who uses the Duckmaster to stay awake in lectures while a woman says she used the device to keep alert while painting her flat.

One of the Duckmaster's inventors, Matías Gilli, said he and his friends came up with the idea while they were studying at the University of Buenos Aires.

"We have got quite a stock of Duckmasters left because of Argentina's economic crisis," Gilli told newspaper Las Ultimas Noticias. "But we are still hopeful of continuing production."

Gilli said the Duckmaster could also save lives. He said it would prevent bus or lorry drivers from falling asleep at the wheel.

[JediGirl]

[lsee]

a student who uses the Duckmaster to stay awake in lectures

Al Gore won't like these...

[TightSqueeze]

The Argentinean government has considered banning the sale of the DuckMaster due to the fact that it might be construed to be a contraceptive device. It has been noted that otherwise normal men wearing the DuckMaster couldn’t get laid in a whorehouse.

[Kenton]

The Duckmaster is being marketed as "an ultra-efficient anatomical wake-up device" which "means being sleepy won't get you into trouble."

I'm just sitting here musing at this. We have one fellow in particular at my office that regularly dozes off in meetings, I should buy him one of these.

I can just imagine being an "All Employee" meeting, everyone sitting there in hushed reverence listening to the latest lies from the Vice-President in Charge of Employee Deception, and from the back of the room you hear it.... "quack, quack, quack..."

[NerdDad]

I am unfortunately too much of an expert on this subject. I suffer from severe sleep apnea. SNORING IS MORE THAN JUST ANNOYING TO YOUR PARTNER. Most common among middle aged overweight men and women, it can affect even small children. Snoring is the main symptom. The results can be stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, migraines, falling asleep at the absolute worst times and many other life threateners. Mine is now being successfully treated.

However, I can say without question that if the head drops to the point of making the duck quack as displayed in the picture, it is too late. The driver has been "asleep" for a considerable number of seconds before his head begins to drop. He may rouse himself with the first motion of the head several times before it drops down onto his chest far enough to make that duck quack.

I am fortunate that I only had one minor accident as a result of "inattentive driving." I cannot tell you how many times that I made it home from work with no recollection of most of the trip. I scares the hell out of me to imagine the number of times that I have been asleep at the wheel.

Statistics are beginning to show that more accidents are caused by sleepy drivers than by drunk ones. Visit the links below to get more info. Then get help for yourself or your loved ones who you suspect of having a problem.
http://www.sleepapnea.org/
http://www.sleepnet.com/ TAKE THE TEST
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/publications/sleepap.html

There are plenty more resources. A google gave me 155,000 hits. The treatments are simple and life changing if not life saving.

[Fractal Trader]

Will this be more safe than the belt around his neck that the Thai student recently used to keep him from falling asleep? (He ended up asphyixiated.)

[jlogajan]

He said it would prevent bus or lorry drivers from falling asleep at the wheel.

And your first reaction on seeing your bus driver wearing one of these things would be what? :-)

[Willie Green]

No wonder Argentina's economy is in the dumpster.

[Constitution Day]

The Duckmaster fastens around the user's neck and starts quacking if the owner's head slumps forward.

Yeah, but can it say "AFLAC"?

[E Rocc]

Will this be more safe than the belt around his neck that the Thai student recently used to keep him from falling asleep? (He ended up asphyixiated.)

How much did his family sue the belt company for?

-Eric

[mhking]

Inventors' strap-on duck will keep you awake

That headline combined with the picture is so bad...

I'm sorry - I'll get out of the gutter...

[Wolfie]

Hey, whatever people are into is ok by...oh, duck...nevermind.

[eno_]

I'm waiting for the Sprint commercial, featuring two mannish women: "I thought you said 'Strap on duck.'"

[WindMinstrel]

Why a duck, I wonder? Why not a different critter? How 'bout a squid? An aardvark? Celine Dion?

[Northpaw]

I like the fact that it is nearly invisible and appears very comfortable to wear.

[VadeRetro]

That thing looks more like a chicken to me. Whatever it is, I'd rather fall asleep at the wheel than wear it.

[Northpaw]

Why a duck, I wonder? Why not a different critter? How 'bout a squid? An aardvark? Celine Dion?

Or Dick Gephardt? Strap on .....uh.......Gephardt.

[eno_]

Lyndon Baines Johnson?

[Delbert]

How about a strap on Pam Anderson wake up device?

[maxwell]

That headline combined with the picture is so bad... I'm sorry - I'll get out of the gutter...

Bwahaha... What do you think *I* thought when I saw something about a strapon duck, dudes...