Ever wondered what we did before sat navs and mobile phones? Here are the bizarre vintage inventions that never caught on. A series of photographs has revealed the ingenious efforts from the first half of the 20th century that helped people manage the pressures of everyday life. From a manual sat nav to a straw hat portable radio – some have been replaced by smart phones and tablets. The old-school sat nav from 1932 included a paper map dotted with landmarks that automatically rolled as the car drove along.
![A British woman plays a piano designed especially for people who are confined to bed. Date: 1935. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/23/52/00015223_medium.jpeg)
A British woman plays a piano designed especially for people who are confined to bed. Date: 1935. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![Photograph of four women sporting wooden bathing costumes in Haquin, Washington. They were invented in order to make swimming easier, although they dont seem to have caught on. Date: 1929. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/24/52/00015224_medium.jpeg)
Photograph of four women sporting wooden bathing costumes in Haquin, Washington. They were invented in order to make swimming easier, although they dont seem to have caught on. Date: 1929. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![A tripmaster, which had an automatic rolling map on the dashboard with identifying marks, like bridges, crossings and levels. Date: c.1930s. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/25/52/00015225_medium.jpeg)
A tripmaster, which had an automatic rolling map on the dashboard with identifying marks, like bridges, crossings and levels. Date: c.1930s. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![Plastic face protection from snowstorms in Montreal, Canada. Date: 1939. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/26/52/00015226_medium.jpeg)
Plastic face protection from snowstorms in Montreal, Canada. Date: 1939. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![A resident of Hextable in Kent, invented a gas proof pram in which a baby could be kept safe during an air raid. The pram has an air-tight lid provided with a window and with a gas mask filter. A rubber bulb at the rear is squeezed at intervals forcing the stale air out and replacing it with fresh air drawn in through the filter. Date: 1938. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/27/52/00015227_medium.jpeg)
A resident of Hextable in Kent, invented a gas proof pram in which a baby could be kept safe during an air raid. The pram has an air-tight lid provided with a window and with a gas mask filter. A rubber bulb at the rear is squeezed at intervals forcing the stale air out and replacing it with fresh air drawn in through the filter. Date: 1938. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![An American policeman wears an electrically warmed vest. The power is generated from the individuals movement along the street. Date: 1932. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/28/52/00015228_medium.jpeg)
An American policeman wears an electrically warmed vest. The power is generated from the individuals movement along the street. Date: 1932. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![A Colt 38 with built in camera; when pulling the trigger the camera automatically shoots images. To the left, a series of images taken by the camera. This invention weighs 170 gr., the lens is 4 cm wide and it was invented to decrease crime. Date: 1930s. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/29/52/00015229_medium.jpeg)
A Colt 38 with built in camera; when pulling the trigger the camera automatically shoots images. To the left, a series of images taken by the camera. This invention weighs 170 gr., the lens is 4 cm wide and it was invented to decrease crime. Date: 1930s. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![A car with five axles and ten wheels which is able to run through ditches of a metre deep and almost two metres wide, and down slopes of degrees with a speed of 65 km per hour. Date: 1936. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2a/52/0001522a_medium.jpeg)
A car with five axles and ten wheels which is able to run through ditches of a metre deep and almost two metres wide, and down slopes of degrees with a speed of 65 km per hour. Date: 1936. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![French police checking a safety device mounted at the front of a car. Date: 1924. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2b/52/0001522b_medium.jpeg)
French police checking a safety device mounted at the front of a car. Date: 1924. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![Portable radio in a straw hat, made by an American inventor. Date: 1931. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2c/52/0001522c_medium.jpeg)
Portable radio in a straw hat, made by an American inventor. Date: 1931. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![Extendable caravan built by a French engineer. Date: 1934. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2d/52/0001522d_medium.jpeg)
Extendable caravan built by a French engineer. Date: 1934. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![Invention to keep a baby content in its pram so that mother can read untroubled: the pram is provided with a radio, including antenna and loudspeaker. Instead of a baby, two dolls have been put in the pram to illustrate the goal of this invention. Date: 1921. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2e/52/0001522e_medium.jpeg)
Invention to keep a baby content in its pram so that mother can read untroubled: the pram is provided with a radio, including antenna and loudspeaker. Instead of a baby, two dolls have been put in the pram to illustrate the goal of this invention. Date: 1921. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
![An English woman wears a pair of spectacles especially designed for reading in bed. Date: 1936. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)](https://pix.avax.news/avaxnews/2f/52/0001522f_medium.jpeg)
An English woman wears a pair of spectacles especially designed for reading in bed. Date: 1936. (Photo by Mary Evans Picture Library/Caters News)
20 Apr 2014 11:01:00,
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