8 World-Changing Innovations That Failed

    • Business Insider
    • Publish Date: Sep 20 2016 10:44AM
    • |
    • Updated Date: Sep 20 2016 10:48AM
8 World-Changing Innovations That Failed

Here are some of the tech ideas that wanted to change the world, but failed to meet their lofty goals

Franklin, da Vinci, Edison, Ford. These names are known for how their inventions and ideas changed the world. But there can only be so many legends. History is full of failures — creations that confused, appalled, disgusted, injured or even killed people. Maybe these flops can help us. Next time, we can get things right.

DeLorean DMC-12: When John DeLorean unveiled the futuristic automobile in 1975, problems with manufacturing arose from the start, as the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) hopped from country to country looking to set up shop. A total of 9,000 cars were built, but many had already deemed DMC a failure. The car’s starring role in the 1985 film 'Back to the Future' was many people’s first encounter with the machine, despite it already being dead in the water. 

Hydrogen Blimps: As early as 1908, blimps filled with hydrogen — the lightest element on Earth — were set aloft. But hydrogen’s flammability quickly became apparent when ships started bursting into f lames. Though the Hindenburg disaster (1937) is the most iconic blimp malfunction, it wasn’t the first case of a hydrogen blimp exploding.
 
 
Smell-O-Vision: In 1960, decades before Hollywood rolled out 4D movies, inventor Hans Laube set its sights on a radical form of entertainment known as 'Smell-O-Vision'. By injecting 30 different scents into a movie theatre, Laube believed he could heighten a film's appeal and impact. Journalists who went to the screening had a less than favourable impression of the technology. Their reviews complained of a hissing sound of the scent dispensers. Many patrons reported smelling the odours several seconds after a scene had passed. Smell-O-Vision never got an encore performance.
 
 
Apple Newton MessagePad: Ever the innovator, Apple is no stranger to flops. Its handheld portable digital assistant (PDA), the Newton, actually met a genuine need when it was first released. But the Newton’s screen was hard to read, and the technology behind its handwriting recognition was unsophisticated. People realised that the product couldn’t make good on its promise and it died in 1998.

Segway: They are still around — mostly in malls and airports. But their limited presence betrays the lofty vision set forth by Segway founder Dean Kamen in 2001. Sales tanked in early 2002, due to a mix of shoddy construction, confusion over the product’s use and the logistical nightmare of using it, since many countries classified the Segway as a road vehicle, meaning the user would need a license to operate it.
 

CueCat: As a rival to Apple’s iPod, the Zune music player l aunched in 2006. Within two years, it was clear there was no contest. Consumers saw the iPod as the pioneering technology that revolutionised how the world listened to music. As a result, the Zune faded into obscurity. It was officially discontinued in late 2011.

TiVo: TiVo innovated once, then stopped. Digital video recording was a unique concept in 2006 — the ability to pause live TV and manipulate it at will seemed like a skill fit for a higher power. Which is why TiVo took off, at first. But TiVo rarely marketed itself. When it did market itself, it did so poorly; it didn’t license its technology for wider appeal; and it didn’t foresee the switch to streaming media. As a result, a product that could have rocked the world became a dinosaur almost overnight.

Microsoft ‘Clippy’: When Clippy the paperclip debuted in Windows 97, Microsoft had high hopes for the virtual office assistant. What actually happened is that Clippy became a pestering and unwanted nag that interrupted people while they worked. Despite the negative reaction, Clippy made it all the way to a 2004 version of Microsoft software. Eventually, the innovative tech giant got the hint and let users handle their own tasks, assistant-free.

Tell us, which of the recent technology or product you think might fail? Why products like Google Glass never arrived?  Do you think even self driving car will meet the same destiny?

 

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Comments

Sarath Kumar RM Bethel Mat Hr Sec School

I think the technology on artificial current detectors will be a failure because the project is based on the fact that if any electric conductors are brought near the plug it shows some signals. I think self driving car will be a success because it will surely help the disabled people.

Bhavana Jaison Atomic Energy Central School No 2

OMG self driving car ?

Amish Agarwal Goldcrest High Vashi

Yeah self driving car is quiet treacherous. Its not going to be a success. Secondly i think IPhone 7 is a failure.

Aarush Mehrotra Silver Oaks International School, Bangalore

I think that VR won''t take off for the next few years as games aren''t widely available and they are very expensive too.

Aditi Sahi D C MODEL SCH PKL-SEC-7

Self driving cars would reach the same destiny though it is possible we would have them in future but not so soon.

Mugdha Chatterjee Delhi Public School, Durgapur

What? self driving car is gonna meet the same future? IMPOSSIBLE !!!!!!!

Romana Shaikh Vidya Prabodhini English School

Try try but dont cry techonlogy may be build self driving technology but at same time it can be dangerous to

NAVYA MALHOTRA SWARAJ INDIA PUBLIC SCHOOL

yes , I am sure self driving cars will be the same ......secondly ,I feel that the technology to reduce the age of a person will also be a failure - it has been tried on one lady but it seems useless

Himanshi Dhawan Saffron Public School

Well, self-driving car sounds great!!! Now don''t take much fuss if you don''t know how to drive a car or don''t have a driver.

Prakash.B Bethel Mat Hr Sec School

Wowwwww...self driving cars ....

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