A large amount of research projects in engineering can be fitted into this analogy:
Flush toilet is the most common type of toilet in urbanised areas on this planet. However, instead of developing new flush toilets, most scientists and their students are developing intelligent robots that are programmed to carry the chamber pot from your bedroom at 7 AM every morning. Of course, robots like this kind are embedded with intelligent systems. However, they are undeniably stupid and useless.
That’s where most research funds are spent.