The Isolator

Hugo Gernsback invented The Isolator in 1925. It’s safe to say he had plenty of peace and quiet in his later years. The device included a small oxygen tank since the noise-cancelling helmet was so well insulated from the outside world. Regardless of how ridiculous this invention may seem, it no doubt inspired contemporary engineers to create modern, less cumbersome devices that make upstairs neighbors more tolerable. Gernsback later became known as the Father of Science Fiction, even though his sci-fi stories got terrible reviews.