Toilets Are Getting Smarter At Heathrow Airport

It seems there will be no end to the gadgets and devices getting “smart” upgrades. It seems the new popular item everyone wants to make smarter is their toilet. Indeed, it seems I can’t watch an hour of television without seeing at least one ad that focuses solely on sprucing up the porcelain throne. I’ve seen ads about glow-in-the-dark toilet seats, automatic flushing toilets, and a toilet that makes the user assume the perfect posture for taking care of their business. Smart toilets are such a hot trend right now that even London’s Heathrow Airport is taking advantage of them.

And when I say “smart” toilets, I don’t just mean that the toilets will automatically flush themselves when you step away from them – I’m talking more along the lines of the toilets knowing when it’s time for a cleaning. In fact, these new toilets at Heathrow look to be pretty state of the art from a janitorial standpoint.

Using these toilets, employees will be able to see in real-time what toilets and urinals are getting used the most, thereby allowing them to go and clean them when they require it, instead of waiting to clean them at certain intervals. They will also be able to see which bathrooms are used the most. One wonders if someone’s sole job will be watching the toilet logistics and keeping track of them throughout the day.

The toilets will also keep track of how long it takes them to get cleaned once they require it.

Perhaps the toilets will even be able to warn potential users, saying, “You don’t want to go in there.”

What do you think of this story? Do you think our toilets need to be smart, or are they fine just the way they are? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

[Image via prodryers]

SOURCE: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27740545