10 Future Home Innovations That Never Came to Be

I often come across publications that highlight technological advancements, especially in home tech, where we spend most of our time. But after reading about the latest breakthroughs, I find myself asking, 'What happened to that?' Sometimes, ideas just emerge too soon. Other times, the creator or company lacks the resources to push it forward, or the concept proves too expensive or impractical for everyday use.

A simple online search for future home innovations brings up some incredible videos, often sponsored by appliance or energy companies. While many ideas are familiar, some never made it beyond the demo phase. Some are downright comical, but it's hard not to get swept up in the optimistic vision of a better future through innovation. Post-World War II, the Atomic Age promised endless possibilities, but over the years, there have been numerous inventors and companies who thought they had the 'next big thing.' Let's explore the future home innovations that never became a reality.

10: Underwater Cities

While NASA was focused on the monumental task of landing a man on the moon, there was also growing interest in the possibility of colonizing Earth. This could even serve as a useful test to determine how we might live on the moon while studying survival in isolated environments and conducting valuable experiments.

The U.S. government has long been involved in underwater habitat projects. In 1964, the U.S. Navy created SEALAB I, an experimental habitat sunk 192 feet (58 meters) beneath the ocean's surface. SEALAB II and III followed soon after. Another notable project was Tektite, a research facility built by General Electric, funded by NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Department of the Interior during the late 1960s.

Private enterprises also entered the scene. Renowned marine explorer Jacques Cousteau developed the Conshelf habitats in the mid-1960s, with the deepest one located around 336 feet (102 meters) below sea level. Visionaries soon began exploring the idea of long-term underwater living. At the 1964 World's Fair in New York, General Motors showcased an undersea hotel in the Futurama II exhibit. In 1971, a group of British investors proposed plans for an entire underwater city, known as Pilkington Sea City, to be constructed in the Black Sea.

While there are still underwater research stations and a handful of underwater hotels, the dream of underwater cities has yet to be realized. Why? A significant obstacle is decompression sickness, or 'the bends,' a life-threatening condition caused by the pressure of water, which exerts twice the pressure on our bodies compared to air. The technical challenges of maintaining a suitable atmosphere and supplying resources are both complex and costly. This explains why a night at Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida (a converted research habitat from the early 1970s) can cost over $500, despite being only 30 feet underwater.

9: Home Nuclear Power Plant

If you happened to visit Disneyland's Tomorrowland between 1957 and 1967, you might have experienced Monsanto's House of the Future. Among the many incredible features showcased in this model home, one of the most mind-boggling—yet rarely mentioned—was something visitors never actually got to see. As they toured the house and marveled at its futuristic design, a voiceover explained the features. Toward the end, it revealed that "To minimize inconvenience and power costs, a small nuclear power plant located within the house's support pylon provides electricity and centralized heating, fully shielded with plastic for safety."

Wait, hold on a second! A small nuclear power plant inside a home? This idea seems far-fetched today, especially with the over 50 nuclear power plant accidents that have occurred since the infamous Chernobyl disaster of 1986. While there are still hundreds of nuclear power plants across the globe (and many nuclear-powered ships and submarines), the concept of having one inside your home has become highly controversial. After all, no one wants to live near a nuclear plant, let alone have one as part of their daily life. When the House of Tomorrow first opened, the first commercial nuclear plant had just begun operations, during the Atomic Age when it was believed nuclear energy would eventually power everything from airplanes to cars, making fossil fuels obsolete. Of course, things didn't unfold that way, and we soon realized that plastic shielding is not enough to protect us from nuclear radiation. While there are self-sufficient homes or those that are "off the grid," they are still relatively rare today.

8: Biospheres

In 1996, a film titled "Bio-Dome," featuring Stephen Baldwin and Pauly Shore, was released. Their characters mistakenly enter what they believe is a shopping mall, only to realize they are actually inside a biodome. A biodome, or biosphere, is a man-made, self-contained ecological system. This means that all waste produced by one organism must be reused by another within the system. These biospheres have been used to test the feasibility of closed ecosystems, a concept that could be essential for long-term space living. On the space station, for instance, astronauts rely on supplies transported with them or sent later. While initial space colonies would require this kind of support, it would be far too costly to maintain indefinitely. Thus, a successful space colony would eventually need to become self-sufficient.

The first biosphere was constructed in Russia during the mid-1960s. It utilized chlorella algae to recycle the air for its inhabitants. In addition, crops were grown for sustenance. Known as BIOS-3, this system operated until 1984, with its longest continuous occupation lasting 180 days. However, it was never a fully closed system. Later, in the late 1980s, the United States built Biosphere-2 with two primary missions, along with several smaller experiments.

On its second mission, Biosphere-2 housed not only crops but also a variety of plants and animals. This mission ended abruptly in September 1994 after 10 months. It is generally considered a failure. While insects thrived, many of the animals perished, oxygen levels plummeted, and hunger became a major issue. Most notably, the participants began to form factions and engage in conflict. The psychological stress of being confined with the same group of people for months is a significant factor that can't be ignored. Despite its failure to achieve its goals, some regard Biosphere-2 as a "successful failure." It didn’t reach its intended outcome, but it provided valuable insights. It seems unlikely that we’ll be living in entirely self-sufficient biospheres anytime soon, though.

7: Moon Colony

In 1969, the United States claimed victory in the Space Race with the Soviet Union by achieving the historic feat of placing a man on the moon. This remarkable achievement came after President John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge to send a man to the moon and bring him back – and it was accomplished. As the entire world watched, the excitement of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the lunar surface was hard to fully grasp. While science fiction writers had long speculated about living on the moon, our visit made the idea seem achievable. Although NASA sent astronauts to the moon on four additional occasions, enthusiasm for its exploration faded. Now, more than forty years since the first landing, we are still far from establishing a permanent colony.

That doesn't mean there hasn't been any further discussion on the matter. NASA's lunar probes have sent back mixed reports about the presence of water, mostly in the form of ice, on the moon’s surface. Such a resource would be crucial for a future colony. In 2004, U.S. President George W. Bush revived the idea of returning to the moon, with plans for a lunar outpost by 2020, but the initiative was later abandoned. Meanwhile, other nations and space organizations are still pursuing their lunar ambitions. Countries like China, India, Japan, Russia, and the European Space Agency have outlined plans to explore the moon, some of which include temporary outposts or even permanent bases. Colonizing the moon involves numerous hurdles, including securing long-term supplies of food, water, and energy, and addressing challenges like low gravity and the political implications of ownership. While I might one day visit the moon, I don't foresee living there.

6: Flying Houses

After mastering flight with airplanes, is it really such a leap to imagine flying houses that could transport you and all your belongings from one place to another, bypassing the need for a plane? It would certainly be more convenient to simply bring everything with you when visiting loved ones, instead of struggling to fit everything into a suitcase. However, we don’t even have a flying car yet – a vehicle that can both drive on roads and fly – and scientists have been working on developing one for nearly a century.

Not everyone has access to a personal aircraft for transportation. During the 1950s and 1960s, several "homes of the future" included hangars or even landing pads, predicting that flying would become the primary mode of travel. At the time, it seemed logical that the cost of personal aircraft would decrease, but the public didn’t foresee the rising costs of fuel or the challenges of creating air highways across the country. However, let’s take a moment to consider the logistics of owning a flying house. Does it mean somehow getting a typical house, which is far from aerodynamically designed, airborne? And what about the fuel costs required to lift and move such a heavy structure? We’re far from reaching that point.

Currently, the closest equivalent to a flying house is a luxurious private or charter jet. These jets can feature massive, comfortable seats, beds, wooden furnishings, spacious bathrooms resembling a spa, and kitchens (some even staffed by private chefs). While this isn’t the same as flying within your own home, it’s certainly a step up from cramped coach seats on a red-eye flight. Unfortunately, these lavish jets come with a hefty price tag, meaning for the time being, you'll have to continue booking regular flights.

5: Plastic Houses

Yes, this is another nod to the House of the Future, but it’s far from the only example of such futuristic thinking. This particular house proudly claimed to be constructed almost entirely from plastics and other synthetic materials, including not just the structure but also the flooring and furniture. This made sense, as Monsanto was a leading player in plastics manufacturing at the time. The 1950s saw plastic become cheaper and easier to produce, making it seem like the ideal material. It could be molded into a wide range of shapes, textures, and colors. Plus, it was durable, resistant to decay, and easy to maintain. No concerns about termites, mold, or rot.

Right now, I'm typing on a plastic keyboard and sipping water from a reusable plastic bottle, so it’s clear that plastic is everywhere. However, no one actually lives in a plastic house. We know far more about the environmental and health implications of certain plastics these days, which means we’re more selective about the types we use and how we use them. Beyond that, we’re creatures of habit in many ways. We love innovation and admire new technologies, but that doesn’t mean we want them to dominate every aspect of our lives. When it comes to our homes, we still prefer traditional, comfortable materials – wood and fabric.

Despite this, architects and designers have continued to experiment with using plastics in home construction. Some homes feature first-generation plastics, while others are exploring the use of recycled plastics for structural components or insulation. These modern approaches are a far cry from the sleek, shiny plastic houses envisioned in the 1950s.

4: Push-button Everything

Model homes from the 1950s and 1960s envisioned kitchens that were at the forefront of futuristic design. This makes sense, as living rooms and bedrooms have remained relatively unchanged, but kitchens were packed with appliances and gadgets aimed at making life more convenient. However, some designers seemed to believe that kitchens shouldn't look like kitchens at all, with traditional stoves, refrigerators, and cabinets filled with appliances. Instead, these "future" kitchens often looked like any other room, with walls and ceilings covered in panels. Sometimes, you'd hardly recognize them as kitchens.

Imagine pressing a button, and a "cold zone" lowers from a cabinet to keep your food chilled. Another press reveals a microwave (which was predicted to eventually replace the stove altogether). A different button opens a panel to reveal the sink. Essentially, the entire kitchen was designed to be concealed, to be unveiled by a confident housewife at just the right moment while she cooked and cleaned. On the surface, it seems innovative and futuristic. However, the practicality of having so many moving parts, along with the constant need to press buttons to access everything, could quickly become frustrating. An automated kitchen comes with the challenge of maintaining all its mechanical components, which could break down, and imagine the energy wastage. What if you simply wanted a glass of water but couldn't access the cabinet where the cups are kept? With enough appliances already in place, it seems we're content to simply add modern gadgets like dishwashers and microwaves to the traditional kitchen layout.

3: Space Foods

Freeze-drying has been around for centuries – indigenous peoples in Peru would expose potatoes to frost, then allow the intense sunlight to dry them. It's a clever method of preserving food and other materials. During World War II, freeze-drying was used to transport biomedical products like serum, which would normally require refrigeration. Over time, the technique turned to food preservation as well. Freeze-drying involves using dry ice or nitrogen to freeze food, then heating it under a vacuum. This process results in flakes, cubes, or bars of lightweight, porous material. The food can be rehydrated with either hot or cold water, depending on the desired temperature. The downside, however, is that rehydrated food often doesn't taste or have the same texture as the original.

This is just one method used to preserve food for astronauts and cosmonauts on space missions. They also consumed pureed and concentrated foods, stored in tubes resembling toothpaste. With our excitement over space exploration, we wanted to replicate the astronauts' eating experiences. Some future kitchen designs featured special systems to rehydrate or cook with concentrated food. However, freeze-dried foods were the only ones that truly gained traction – we still use freeze-dried products like instant coffee today. But they haven't replaced whole foods. You can still find novelty items like astronaut ice cream and Space Food Sticks (a precursor to energy bars) at museums and space-themed exhibits. Ironically, the freeze-dried Neapolitan-flavored ice cream only made it on one mission because it wasn't particularly popular.

2: Videophones

You might be thinking, "Wait a minute. I already have a videophone. I can Skype or FaceTime using my smartphone or computer." While that's true, I'm referring to a videophone you use as your primary device, instead of a traditional voice-only phone. You might use Skype or FaceTime to call someone far away, especially if you still have a landline. But you're probably not using it to order a late-night pizza, and you're not calling someone and seeing them on a giant screen. The characters in "The Jetsons" were always camera-ready, but we definitely aren’t!

In 1910, a French illustrator named Villemard envisioned a "correspondence cinema," which depicted the image of the person on the other end projected on the wall. So, we've been imagining videophones long before the invention of television.

Initially, early videophones involved a series of still images paired with a regular telephone call – not live, real-time video. In 1936, a public videophone system was even set up between the German cities of Berlin and Leipzig, but it only covered 100 miles. Then, in the 1960s, AT&T introduced a videophone called Picturephone at various fairs and Disneyland. By 1964, AT&T had installed some public Picturephones in cities across the country, but they were costly and didn't gain much popularity.

Although video telephony is no longer as expensive and is becoming more common via computers, we’re still mostly fine with audio-only phone calls. Is it because we don’t want to look "presentable" each time we pick up the phone? Or do we just prefer face-to-face interactions if we’re going to see someone visually? Video calls have improved, but depending on your internet connection, they can still be glitchy, causing frustration when audio and video don’t sync. Videophones have been incredibly beneficial for the deaf and for specialized purposes, but we haven't yet arrived at the era of calling on TV-sized screens.

1: Domestic Robots

Whenever I think about homes of the future, I can't help but recall "The Jetsons." Jane Jetson would often grumble about household chores while lounging in her chair, effortlessly pushing buttons and watching their robot maid, Rosie, zip around taking care of everything. More than once, I've found myself asking, "Where's my Rosie?" It seemed like it was just a step away, yet it never quite materialized. You can buy robots to vacuum, mop floors, or mow lawns, and there are prototypes that can fold laundry or iron, but that's about it. No robots for cooking, window washing, or bathroom cleaning. Why not?

While there are plenty of robots in industries—like those used in car manufacturing, bomb disposal, and microsurgery—robots for the home are mostly limited to entertainment. Bill Gates once mentioned in an article for Scientific American that one of the challenges is the lack of standardization in both hardware and software. Plus, teaching robots to perform tasks that humans easily do, like recognizing the difference between a door and a window or understanding and responding correctly to speech, remains a tough hurdle.

Thanks to improvements in wireless technology, voice recognition, and the decreasing cost of hardware, your robot maid might one day take care of the tedious work. For now, though, you can always check your emails on your refrigerator's WiFi-enabled LCD screen while you tidy up the kitchen to help pass the time.