Designer Dominic Wilcox isn't short himself but sympathized with a woman at a concert who is, "I was standing at a gig and turned to see a small woman dancing away but unable to see the band. This gave me the inspiration to design a way for people to see over obstacles such as tall people like me."
Dominic's initial sketch
That's how his One Foot Taller Periscope glasses came to be. Yes, the glasses make its wearers look silly but they allow them to see a solid foot over their normal eye level, ie. over the dang crowd. A sturdier version of these would probably sell well if they were actually for sale. Alas, he created them as a proof of concept for a contest that prompted its designers to come up with an extraordinary solution to an everyday problem.
Dominic's got all kinds of great inventions. Take a look.