Thursday, February 7, 2013

Robo Bathrooms. .

A lot of technology has entered the public rest room.  Some of the ideas behind them are basically sound but when implemented many of the the devices leave a lot to be desired.

Wave your hand to get a paper towel
For instance, apparently paper towels have been a little too frivolously wasted.  To combat this are several stingy devices.  Some spit out one skimpy sheet at a time.  The user cannot pull more out until the machine decides to spit out another sheet.  Some even have motion detectors.  When hands are placed near the sensor one sheet pops out.  Both these devices do their job but if you have a big mess you can't get any extra in a hurry.

Self flushing toilets scare me.  I'd like to decide when to say goodbye to what I've deposited.  I might like to take inventory before it embarks on its journey to the waste treatment facility.  Then there is the possibility that I might have dropped something in there inadvertently.  While the drowned electronic device may no longer function after a brief swim I'd like to see if it could be rescued.  Some items are sure to clog the plumbing so retrieval could save a lot of unclogging later on.  Small children who are in the process of potty training might be frightened that the bowl is trying to swallow them in addition to their poo-poo. 

I'm not sure why we even want self flushing toilets. Do that many people forget to flush?  Are we too slow?  What's the rush?  Then there's the problem if everything doesn't disappear on the first flush.  In these days of low volume toilets sometimes it takes a couple of tries.  Sometimes they hide the button for a manual flush a little too well. 

The Xlerator hand dryer
On the other hand the new generation of automatic hand dryers is amazingly efficient although a little loud.  The Xlerator hand dryer puts out so much G force that test pilots would feel they are doing Mach 1.  The thing actually dries your hands in about fifteen seconds.   The Dyson Airblade has hands inserted into the machine side by side to dry both at the same time with no motion required.  Like the Xlerator it is very fast.   Old hand dryers had directions to shake hands first then  rub hands together under the hot air.  There should have been a third instruction to wipe hands on pants which was usually necessary if you were in any kind of hurry. 
Dyson Airblade hand dryer
Robosink
At the sinks there are no handles to be seen.  Sensors dispense water and hand soap.  In the hospital where I work we have these in patient care areas but unfortunately there is no hot or cold control.  The water is typically too cold for washing but too warm for drinking.  The sensor doesn't always catch your hand in front of the faucet but will randomly turn on when you walk by.  It usually stops running before I've finished rinsing my hand requiring more hand waving in front of the sensor.

Dispensers for soap never seems to come out where I expect.  It usually misses my hands and lands on the sink. I'm not the only one with problem judging by the little lumps of congealed soap under the dispenser.

I expect these fixtures are designed to minimize waste and facilitate easy cleaning.  I get the idea but I'm not thrilled about most of these changes. 

No comments:

Post a Comment