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A Smarter Water Closet

14 August 2003

Apologies for the lack of updates recently; I have been muy ocupado this week. During a brief news catchup this afternoon, I happened upon a rather insightful article into the state of high-tech toiletry. Yes, you heard me - toiletry. Apparently there is quite a large market for programmable toilets - as they are called - in Japan, and manufacturer Toto hopes to broaden their reach to western shores.

During the first stage, the "rim-scouring cyclonic motion," a nozzle located at the back of the bowl fires a high-speed stream of water that scours the rim.

The second stage, "siphonic jet action," increases the water volume of the rapidly rotating current as it circles the bowl and "generates a quiet, skillfully-controlled flush, which minimizes noise and splash as the water's sustained swirling motion scrubs the bowl clean of all matter," according to Toto's product brochure.

The third stage is a final rim scouring, which cleanses the rim a second time and restores the bowl's tranquil water surface.

That's all very well, but does it supply reading material? The full potential of WiFi internet access in the bathroom has yet to be realised, methinks.