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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.
Dyson's latest AirBlade dries your freshly washed hands straight from the Tap
While it was never the most original take on powerful commercial hand driers, the Dyson AirBlade has nevertheless been an admirable piece of public restroom kit. Now seven years since its official debut, the company's refreshed the super-charged water dissipator to be 5.5-pounds lighter, dubbing it the AirBlade mk2. Taking things a step further, a new V-shaped model can output the same 420mph blower speed in a package that's roughly sixty-percent smaller. Dyson didn't stop there, though, as its Tap model brings the tech straight to the faucet. The stainless steel enclosure houses the same 1,400-watt DC brushless motor as the previous models, dispersing HEPA-filtered "sheets" of air through a single laser-cut slit in each of two wings that extend from the Tap's sides. The silenced, carbon fiber-enclosed motor is positioned away from the sink whether it's on a wall or a counter, leaving only the streamlined faucet in view. More interesting yet, we're told it reaches 92,000RPM in about 0.7 seconds! Of course, the system is totally automated, with infrared sensors for the water and dryer portions. Sure, over-engineered does come to mind, but we can't say we wouldn't be giddy to get our mitts under one at some point. As it stands, hand-washing connoisseurs can begin placing orders for the Tap come February 5th, and the others in May. For now, you can get your hands dirty (clean?) by clicking past the break for the obligatory detailed press release and video demo.
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]
Retiring from Flight Control
I just uninstalled it from my iPhone, and am officially retiring from Flight Control (iTunes link). It was a great four month career, I tell ya. I wanted to go out at the top of my game, and on my own terms. Despite its minimal $4.99 price tag (I think that was the price when it first came out), it has cost me much more in terms of lost bets against friends (~$20), sleepless nights, hour long stops to the restroom, and lost productivity.
Video: game consoles stored in Gamestop bathroom
On a serious note, we're telling ourselves that there's just no way this happens in even a meaningful amount of Gamestop locations, but more than anything, the video waiting just after the break is for chuckles and chuckles alone. Apparently, one quick-thinking videographer-to-be captured a few stacks of Xbox 360s and PS3s in the store bathroom. Yes, the store bathroom. So the Gamestop-sourced console you're playing on right now could have all sorts of restroom-related germs on it. Yikes.[Thanks, gamestopped]
SMS-based SatLav service guides Londoners to public toilets
If you've ever found yourself stuck in London with the insatiable urge to urinate in an alleyway, help is on the way. Believe it or not, a new SMS-based toilet finding service actually has the aforementioned predicament as a top priority to solve, and the Westminster City Council is hoping that people utilize the system to keep streets a bit cleaner. Cleverly dubbed SatLav, the technology enables individuals passing through London's West End to text the word "toilet" to 80097 in order to receive a (hopefully hasty) reply with details to get to the nearest public restroom. Unfortunately, the service will cost users £0.25 ($0.52) each time they use it, so we're a bit skeptical that alleyway urinators will happily cough up some coin rather than just sticking to old ways.[Image courtesy of BBC]
Toto's Apricot toilet seat plays tunes from SD cards
Sure, talking about toilet seats can be somewhat awkward, but we're fairly certain you'd rather have a seat that sung to you while occupying the restroom than one that, well, didn't. Regardless of whether you're creeped out by a speaker-infused toilet seat or not, Toto is back and better than ever with its new Apricot. The seat maintains the SD slot and MP3 playback abilities of its predecessor, but this rendition also features a few "self-cleaning" abilities, a fragrance emitter, and an automatic light that turns on when it knows you're approaching. Furthermore, it looks to interface with a wall-mounted control unit that can queue up a playlist just as soon as it senses your presence, and as a good steward of the environment, shuts down when not needed to conserve electricity. So if you're strangely curious about sitting on an ultra-clean, sound streaming seat when visiting the bathroom, you can pick up Toto's Apricot next week for a staggering ¥109,200 ($900).[Via Impress]
Pet Loo: backyard in a box for an apartment-bound Fido
As much as your dog might enjoy using the entire city (or at least a few nearby blocks) as its own private bathroom, taking your little furry friend for a "walk" every time nature calls can sincerely put a crimp on that wannabe hermit lifestyle you've been working on. Luckily, the new Pet Loo from Australia allows your pet to do his thing in style and comfort -- and keeps you away from those nasty and dangerous human beings you might encounter during a stroll. The Synthetic Grass provides a familiar bathroom zone for your dog, but is easy to clean and resistant to smells. There's also a collection tray in the bottom of the unit for "liquids." We're sure your dog won't mind a bit more freedom in his bathroom schedule, and we're absolutely looking forward to a review from Unkie Walt -- with his newfound penchant for bathroom gadgetry.[Via gizmag]
