Keep co-workers’ chatter at bay with this giant soundproof helmet

Does the constant chattering of colleagues distract you from your precious spreadsheets and emails? Do you have a gleeful disregard for what said colleagues think about you? Then you’re in luck, my sourpuss friend – Ukrainian design firm Hochu rayu probably had you in mind when they designed the Helmfon.

Yes, you’ll look like a cross between Deadmau5 and someone who’s had an unfortunate accident with a salon hair drying machine, but you’ll be blissfully unaware of needless chatter about The Apprentice and work drinks you’re not invited to for some reason. The Helmfon is filled with foam to dampen sounds from the outside world, but still offers a place to keep your smartphone so you don’t miss a call.

It has a built-in microphone and set of speakers should you need to make a Skype call. In fact, that was the reason the company came up with the prototype in the first place: as a way to allow workers to make Skype calls without bothering their co-workers. Presumably not video calls, but still better than nothing.

And yes, it is just a prototype for now, but Hochu rayu is apparently product testing and does plan on selling the device eventually. This may seem like something of a niche product, but apparently, it’s a problem that’s recognised enough for 1,846 people to chip in a cumulative $195,094 on the ostrich pillow – a product that literally lets you shove your head into soft fabric when office life gets too much for you. Another company raised nearly £100,000 on a pop-up tent to get away from the hubbub of work.

These products have a couple of things in common. On one hand, they’ll all definitely stop you from hearing the chatter of the office. The flipside is that you’ll almost certainly become the focus of the office gossip you won’t be able to hear.