Say Hello To The Future Of Toilets With Floating Virtual Panels From Japan
Image via Shutterstock
The most common feature of a Japanese toilet is the bidet, which is an automated jet of water designed to wash the rear end.
The bidet is designed to clean your rear with a gentle stream of water, and the user can usually control the water pressure, nozzle position, and other functions via controls on the master control panel.
However, in the current pandemic, touching panels with your fingers presents the risk of a coronavirus spread.
To overcome that, Shizuoka-based Murakami Corporation—a manufacturer of rear-view mirrors—has teamed up with Kyoto-based company Parity Innovations for a solution that doesn’t require touching the current control panel.
The duo has unveiled a virtual panel that hovers in mid-air like a hologram. Dubbed Pictogram Technology, the panel allows the user to operate it the same way as the physical touch panel thanks to an infrared sensor that detects a human finger when it comes close.
This technology can also be used outside the bathroom, such as ATMs and in elevators.
Currently, the duo are working hard to mass-produce the panels to improve Japanese bathrooms come 2022. This panel is especially necessary right now, as there is a pressing need for non-contact alternatives due to the pandemic.
Looks like something straight out of Evangelion.. - Japanese toilets become even more high-tech with new floating panels – SoraNews24 -Japan News- https://t.co/I5rHKUl1MS via @RocketNews24En
— Tako Hisada 🐙 (@takoloco) February 16, 2021
[via SoraNews24, cover image via Shutterstock]
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