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Kohler’s voice-controlled bidet seat turns your dumb toilet into a luxurious smart-throne
Some companies take monitors, TVs and AI-fueled laptops to CES. Kohler brought a toilet seat you can talk to. The accessory fits onto most elongated toilets, transforming your dumb can into an Alexa- or Google Assistant-powered smart-loo.
Kohler's smart home upgrades include a mood-setting bath
Kohler has grown its smart home line to include a mood-setting bath, a lower-cost smart toilet and a hands-free faucet.
The Mateo bath mat can monitor your weight, posture and even your shoe size
Bathroom scales are scary. When you step on one, it's rarely good news, especially in 2020, when you can beam the vital statistics to your phone, and see those holiday excesses in line graph form. Mateo is a smart bathmat that hides such horrors. In fact, it covers it in toweling. There are two parts: a machine-washable cloth cover that looks like your garden-variety bath mat, and a slim mat that houses the technology to detect a surprising number of metrics from you. While weight measurement is the most mainstream feature here (people have historically bought bathroom scales that languish in the corner), the Mateo has medical-grade 7,000-dot pressure mapping. What it can do is a little... intense. Not only can it identify users by their footprint, it can also create a heat map of how your foot makes contact with the ground. And an awful lot more.
Charmin thinks your bathroom needs robots and VR
Charmin, the popular toilet paper brand, has big plans for CES. Its Charmin GoLab will showcase "cheeky" conceptual prototypes all meant to improve the bathroom experience. They're a blend of robotics, sensors and virtual reality, and they're all equally ridiculous.
Kohler's new showerhead is also an Alexa-powered smart speaker
Morning showers aren't usually thought of as a time for entertainment, but if you're really determined to make use of every minute you could try out Kohler's new showerhead with a built-in smart speaker.
Bathrooms are getting smarter, for better or worse
Getting up from the toilet after a satisfying bowel movement, you walk right over to the sink and start washing your hands. "Alexa, flush my toilet," you say while reaching for your toothbrush. Your mirror starts displaying your schedule for the day, the weather update and the latest news. Suddenly there's a ping -- your toilet has detected an anomaly in your stool and recommends you increase your fiber intake. A dispenser built into your medicine cabinet whirs to life and spits out a fiber supplement.
Google staffer makes his own smart bathroom mirror
Smart mirrors are everywhere in tech companies' visions of future homes, but they never seem to show up in real homes -- at best, you might find them in fitting rooms. That just wasn't good enough for Google's Max Braun, though. He recently built his own smart bathroom mirror, and it even matches some of the lofty expectations set by concept videos and sci-fi movies. Thanks to the combination of a two-way mirror, an Amazon Fire TV Stick and a display board, Max gets the weather, news headlines and other key facts while he's busy brushing his teeth. All it's doing is calling on data that would normally go into a Google Now card -- Max can even use his voice to search for info, like a tech-savvy version of Snow White's Evil Queen.
Landmark adds toilets, opens itself for potty jokes
We'll just come right out and say it: You can now create and install toilets in Landmark. This is a boon for both the incontinent and the internet comedian, although we suppose that it will be well-received by home builders who want to complete their bathroom set. The patch supposedly fixes individual claim permissions, optimizes the gallery, and improves the bundling interface for the marketplace. Also in the game with today's patch are chains, bathtubs, sinks, and a new "modular" tree.
Public restrooms reduce waits by learning from parking garages
What's the worst part of attending a sporting event or concert in person? It's definitely the lines, right? There's the line to get in, another to nab snacks and a beer, then yet another to use the loo. Well, restroom wait times are getting drastically reduced at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles thanks to a new stall indicator system from Tooshlights (yes, that's really the name). Inspired by the city's parking space lights in its garages, the company is applying the same logic to public restrooms at arenas and music venues -- with the aforementioned amphitheater being the first installation. For places like the Bowl with long rows of stalls in its bathrooms, the tech ensures attendees don't overlook open stalls, contributing to missed action outside. In addition to the red and green lighting scheme, Tooshlights is also working on a software component that can be piped into a venue's app, showing where the shortest lines are around the facility. As you might expect, it also monitors use, alerting staff that a toilet being avoided at halftime may be in need of attention.
Even Apple's bathroom signs are cool
The bathrooms at the Cupertino HQ have some decidedly retro Apple flair. Is it wrong that I want to steal a men's room sign? [Photo credit: Michael Theis]
So, this exists
I can almost hear the possibilities flying through your heads when you look at the image above. What exactly are we looking at here? It seems to be some sort of metal iPad stand... but what's with the toilet paper? Is it some sort of a joke? There's no legitimate product that could possibly pair a tablet with toilet paper, is there? Oh, there is, and that's just the start of it. This is the Biffy Buttler (he he), a freestanding, handheld stainless steel bidet that, of course, includes a built-in iPad stand. If you're not familiar with the concept of a bidet, think of it like a fire hose for your [CENSORED]. It's a pressure washer pointed at your [CENSORED]? A rinse for your nether regions? There we go. Perhaps the best part of the Biffy Buttler is how its existence so subtly suggests that you've been bringing your iPad into the bathroom with you for years anyway, so you might as well have a stand in there, too. "Stay connected while you freshen up!" it so boldly exclaims, but we all know you're not sending business correspondence while seated on the porcelain throne. No, you're trying to beat your Flappy Bird score before someone knocks on the door and asks why you've been occupying the john for a full half hour. The Buttler carries a retail price of US$149.95 (though it's currently on sale for $119.95). I guess connected cleanliness doesn't come cheap.
This Mac mini sure is a pile of...
I'm all for repurposing used electronics, but this one is a bit of a stretch. [Photo credit: Ifrankland]
Kohler's $6,000 Numi Comfort Height toilet gets added connectivity, loftier bowl
We know what you're thinking: The only thing missing from my ridiculously expensive, excessively tricked-out toilet is a USB port. Well it's time you welcomed your posh posterior to the 21st century, because Kohler's just released the second edition of its now $6,000 throne: the aptly named Numi Comfort Height. In addition to the aforementioned port, which will enable quicker software updates, the outfit has enhanced the commode with a Bluetooth receiver for streaming tunes to your tush; SD card reader for importing playlists and personalized welcome greetings; an accessible battery pack for flushing in the dark; and ambient lighting so you can keep the party going when it's time to take care of business. If that wasn't enough to elevate your toilet time, Kohler's lifted the seat to a more comfortable 18 inches, which it says "makes sitting down and standing up easier for most adults." So it still doesn't come in gold and you can't pay for it in Bitcoins, but those precious currencies have hit the skids anyway, right?
Scientists develop flush-efficient toilet system that can turn waste into energy, sort before it recycles
Scientists from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University aren't keen on being wasteful -- that's why they've developed a toilet that uses 90% less water than other commodes and is capable of generating energy. Aptly named the No-Mix Vacuum Toilet, the porcelain pedestal's pot divides waste between two partitions -- one side for liquids, the other for solids -- and uses vacuum tech reminiscent of airline lavatories. Flushing solid and fluid wastes with 1 and 0.2 liters of H2O, respectively, the can will be able to route refuse to external processing facilities. Fertilizer ingredients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous would then be harvested from liquids. Similarly, methane can be coaxed from solids for conversion to electricity or as a replacement for other natural gasses. Two of the university's restrooms are slated to have the toilets installed in the near future, and the team expects the thrones to roll out worldwide within three years. [Thanks, Yuka]
Kohler VibrAcoustic baths bombard your senses with light and sound to drown out stress
Bathtime isn't just for luxuriating in champs and bubbles as part of an MTV-guided tour of your Manhattan high-rise (we're looking at you Ms. Carey). It's also for taking some well-deserved time off to undo pent up stress and get yourself clean with the help of an audiovisual assault. Which is why Kohler's rolling out a new line of its Underscore baths with VibrAcoustic tech that incorporates lighting, sound and vibrations to help "bathers... drift into deep relaxation" -- just not so deep they pass out and drown. The systems range in price from $1,055 to $4,634, with the Chromotherapy feature reserved for the higher end models, and come bundled with a touchscreen unit that can connect to mobile devices for audio streaming. Of course, there are also four pre-loaded tracks composed by a sound therapy specialist specifically calibrated to sync your breathing up with preset beat and chord patterns and get you to calm down. It's a whole new world of hygiene just waiting for you to take the plunge. So, if you've got money to burn and New Age-y predilections, this is your next bathtub.
5 Apps for seeing a man about a horse
Sometimes a wiseacre editor (we have a few) suggests we do a Five Apps post for a particularly offbeat area of interest. And sometimes we actually start brainstorming these. Today, we'll look at at restroom apps: after all, you can't spell iPhone without "I P." Here are 5 apps to help accommodate your timely needs (all prices are USD). Restroom/bathroom/toilet finder (Free) Yes, all those slashes are part of the official name. This app, as well as Have2P (also free) helps you locate the nearest public bathroom, which is handy for older handsets without Siri. If you have a 4S, you can just tell Siri, "I have to urinate" and let her search for public toilets using Apple's database (as long as you don't mind explaining your situation to your phone in public). Toilet Time Pro ($0.99) For those of you who use your potty breaks to play games, catch up with Twitter, or otherwise surf, Toilet Time Pro monitors the elapsed bathroom time and provide alarms to remind you how long you've spent in there. A special "Extension Time" feature allows you to "[set up] extension times to keep notifying you about your toilet time allow you extend your toilet time." Clearly, a GTD perk. Plus, the name gave us a chuckle. Toilet Time Pro suggests there's a non-professional version. Toilet Time Amateur? We won't be downloading that one. Talking Toilet ($0.99) If you have ever wished to transform your commode into an entertainment device (frankly, who hasn't)? If so, Talking Toilet provides exactly that frisson of personality you're looking for. According to its marketing text, the talking toilet "provides hours of entertainment with his hilarious sayings. Whether you're on the potty or not, he's sure to help pass the time while you pass the....well you know." Yes. We know. And we remind you that you chose to keep reading this post. Moving on... Toilet Tickles (free) Since most loo visits are short, entertainment options must likewise adapt. In the grand tradition of "toilet reading," Toilet Tickles provides quick jokes presented on a styled toilet paper roll courtesy of Italian Comedian Alessandro Paci. This app presumably allows you to go, read, laugh and leave, all in a timely manner. Drunk Sniper ($1.99, on sale for $0.99) Finally we bring you Drunk Sniper. It lets men practice their aim and women try to "walk in mens' shoes" at various levels of virtual inebriation. Even if you'll never be able to write in the snow, women will be virtually able to experience how "the toilet seems to become more and more elusive with every drink."
NMA takes a look at urine controlled games
If you've been anxiously anticipating an update on the current state of pee-based bathroom gaming technology, urine luck! In the above news brief, Next Media Animation and its eclectic, somewhat terrifying and consistently hilarious 3D side show takes a look at gaming technology designed to make relieving yourself even more enjoyable, assuming you've got the right (male) plumbing. Alternative ideas are presented for bathroom gaming solutions for those of the female persuasion, though the shower imagery is one we could have done without.
New York Times' magic mirror helps you get dressed, puts the 'wall' in 'paywall' (video)
Forget crosswords and Krugman, because the New York Times has created a new bathroom companion that looks infinitely more entertaining than either of them. Like some of its Snow White-style predecessors, the Times' "magic mirror" prototype uses Microsoft Kinect to detect and follow your movements, while deploying voice recognition technology to execute your commands. With this omniscient slab affixed to your wall, you can surf the web, flip through your wardrobe and send reassuring e-mails to your teenage daughter, whom you should have driven to school a good 30 minutes ago. An RFID reader, meanwhile, can recognize tagged pharmaceuticals or other products, allowing you to instantly access information on your prescription meds by placing them in front of the reflective LCD. You could also use the mirror to browse through the Times' full slate of articles and video content, meaning you can read about extravagant weekend getaways and urban gentrification from the standing comfort of your sink. Unfortunately for all mankind, the magic mirror is still in the prototype phase and the NYT's Research & Development Group has yet to offer a timetable for its release -- but you can see it in action for yourself, after the break.
The Daily Grind: Does realism have any place in MMOs?
We may roleplay a lot of different things in our MMOs, but realistic living is usually not one of them. After all, we can fly, sustain massive amounts of damage without a visible scratch, never have to go to the bathroom, expect chainmail bikinis to protect us, slaughter thousands without remorse, keep horses in our back pockets, defy every law of nature there is, and encounter dozens of animals that are all missing essential organs needed for a quest objective. So as much as we've gotten used to the fantastical elements that pave the way to fun gameplay, I have to wonder: Does this mean that there is no place for realism in MMOs at all? If you look at older pen-and-paper RPGs, realistic elements such as pack weight, the need to eat, and persistent injuries all helped contribute to a relatable experience. What do you think? Should devs reconsider realistic elements in MMOs? Are we getting so far away from a believable experience that we've lost something crucial to RPGs? Or are you just hunky-dory with things as they are? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Kohler's Numi $6,400 high-tech toilet does most of the dirty work for you (video)
We've seen some pretty fancy cans in our time, but perhaps none as tricked out as Kohler's latest $6,400 john. The Numi does just about everything for you, aside from the stuff that, well, only you can do. Looking something akin to a fancy pop-top waste bin, Numi comes complete with a self-opening and closing lid so you never have to touch the toilet seat; a self-cleaning bidet with adjustable controls for temperature and water pressure; heating elements to keep your toes and tush toasty; an illuminated panel for nighttime rendezvous; a built-in speaker system that connects to a remote docking station to ensure only you know exactly what you're doing in there; and a deodorizing element that sucks air from the bowl through a charcoal filter. Of course, no connected appliance would be complete without a touchscreen, and the Numi's no exception; it has a touch panel remote that you can use to set to your specifications. Now, that's what we call a porcelain throne. Check out the ridiculously lavish promo video after the break.
