7 Bizarre 60s Inventions That Never Took Off
via Scent of Mystery in Glorious Smell-O-Vision / Facebook
The 1960s were a time of rapid change and innovation, with many inventors trying to push the limits of what was possible. While some creations from that decade became iconic, others fizzled out and were quickly forgotten. Here are seven strange inventions from the 60s that never quite caught on.
1. The Shower Hood
The Shower Hood was designed to keep your hair dry while showering, a solution for those who didn’t want to mess up their hairstyle. Essentially, it was a large plastic hood attached to a vacuum system that pulled the steam and water away from your head.
While the idea seemed practical, it was far from user-friendly. The bulky design made it awkward to use, and most people preferred the simplicity of a regular shower cap. Despite the effort, the Shower Hood failed to find its place in daily routines.
2. The Baby Cage
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Urban families with small apartments were the target market for the Baby Cage, a wire structure that could be attached to a window, allowing babies to play “outside” without taking up indoor space. The idea was to give babies fresh air while parents lived in cramped city conditions.
However, the sight of babies suspended in a cage outside a window quickly raised safety concerns. Even though it promised to give children a healthy environment, the design was unsettling, and it never gained widespread acceptance. The Baby Cage remains one of the strangest parenting gadgets of the era.
3. The Smell-O-Vision
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Smell-O-Vision was an ambitious attempt to bring scent into the movie theater experience. The invention released various odors during certain moments of a film, aiming to enhance the viewer’s immersion. It was first introduced during the 1960 movie Scent of Mystery, with mixed reactions.
The biggest issue with Smell-O-Vision was timing—often, the scents would arrive too early or too late, ruining the effect. The system also struggled to clear one smell before introducing the next, leaving theaters with unpleasant lingering odors. Unsurprisingly, Smell-O-Vision was quickly abandoned.
4. The Flying Car (Moller M200X)
The Moller M200X was one of the first attempts to create a practical flying car. With its futuristic design and promise of personal air travel, it seemed like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. The vehicle could hover a few feet above the ground, offering a glimpse of what could be possible.
Despite the excitement, the technology never fully developed. The M200X was too expensive, difficult to control, and had limited range, making it impractical for everyday use. Though the dream of flying cars lives on, the Moller M200X was far from the breakthrough people hoped for.
5. The Portable Record Player
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As vinyl records dominated music in the 60s, inventors sought ways to make them more portable. Enter the portable record player, a small device you could carry around, letting you listen to your favorite albums on the go. It came with a built-in speaker and battery power.
However, the design didn’t work well in practice. Records, as we know, are fragile, and the constant movement caused skips, scratches, and even broken discs. While the idea of portable music was ahead of its time, it wasn’t until the cassette tape that music truly became mobile.
6. The Phone Answering Robot
The 60s saw the invention of a robot designed to answer your phone calls. This gadget promised to revolutionize home and office communication by taking messages when you weren’t around. Equipped with a mechanical voice, the robot could take basic instructions and respond to callers.
However, it was expensive, unreliable, and often malfunctioned. As technology advanced, the answering machine quickly took over this task, making the robot obsolete. What seemed like a futuristic device quickly became outdated as more practical alternatives appeared.
7. The Amphicar
The Amphicar was a unique vehicle designed to travel on both land and water. With its convertible design and bright colors, it promised to be the perfect car for adventurous types who wanted to take their vehicle straight into the lake. It certainly captured people’s attention.
While the concept was fun, the execution wasn’t great. The Amphicar was slow on land and even slower in the water. It wasn’t practical as either a car or a boat, making it more of a novelty than a useful vehicle. Its high price tag didn’t help either, leading to its quick disappearance.
