SEPTEMBER 29 EDITORIAL ABOUT HIGH-TECH BATHROOMS WAS NOT ALL WET
Dear Editor: I remember hearing of the high-tech Japanese bathrooms being provided in executive suites a number of years back. (Perhaps it was in one of your articles.) I seem to vaguely remember one of the problems that developed was getting people out of the bathroom after they had experienced the pleasures of the "tushy-wash." With features like those described in your Editorial, I suspect Al Bundy would never get out of the "can."
There are certainly some high-tech bathroom gadgets that may be worth the investment. Most of the electronics in public restrooms seems to be aimed at saving money, and the environment, by only supplying lighting, flushing, washing, and hand-drying when needed. This also helps provide a germ-free environment by eliminating commonly touched surfaces.
One would have to assume this is worth the cost of replacing the existing valve or switch with, for the most part, what seems to be battery-operated infrared sensors. Perhaps the maintenance costs of the electronically operated valves (including periodic battery replacement) is on par with, or even less than, manually initiated devices, but I have to assume it is mostly utility costs that drive such decisions.
However, it seems that active infrared is not enough—at the very least, it can't see through a standard home toilet tank, and it only works at very short ranges. So Kohler has been working on an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar sensor for detecting the presence of people to control bathroom ventilation on fluid valves!
Marc Ressler
Sensors and Electronic Devices Directorate
Army Research Laboratory
Dear Editor: Actually, your Editorial reminded me of a prediction I made a long time ago. I was taking a course in college about intelligent robots and computers. I was talking with the instructor and just offhand I said that there was one area where robots, computers, and electronics would never be applied—going to the bathroom.
How wrong I was! I'm reminded of that prediction just about every time I use a public restroom with the infrared-sensing flushing and faucet mechanisms.
Robert E. Fields
Materials Science and Technology Division, Electronic and Electrochemical Materials and Devices
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Dear Editor: The company I work for has been in the toilet electronics business for some time. The items you listed are really just "toys" meant to generate comments. Our emphasis is on the no-touch concept, which includes automatic toilet and urinal flushers, automatic soap dispensers, and automatic faucets. Paper towels have been shown to be the best in removing residual bacteria, and there has been little incentive to automate this aspect.
The addition of high-tech electronics to the bathroom can benefit health and well being. Taking this concept into hospitals and restaurants has obvious benefits to the consumer/patient/staff.
Interestingly, research shows only half as many men wash their hands as women.
George Jost
Dear Editor: Very interesting column. However, it has been published several times that when a commode is flushed, bacteria can travel five feet. So why doesn't the lid close prior to the flushing? Even if these new bathroom electronics were affordable, I would not buy them!
Verna Vocke
Dear Editor: Electronics is not just in gadgets or industrial controls but crossing all limits, depending on one's imagination. The article describes one more good application.
Rajiv Pujar
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