[Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Sat Jan 12 12:48:42 CST 2008
Waaaaait a minute here. Let's curb our indignation for a moment and use
our noodles. What is one of the greatest complaints many (especially
females) have about public restrooms? Lack of cleanliness. So everything
is disinfected (whether this really works is, perhaps, another story).
And we don't want people touching anything (except, of course,
ourselves) so there's an incentive to have pushbuttons. And automatic
doors are a consequence of those with mobility impairments asking for
accessibility. Yes, the thing will probably be a pain for us, the blind.
And yes, it probably costs more than it ought. But there *is*
rationality behind many of the features.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: Constance Canode
To: NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 9:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
I wouldn't look at this stupid contraption if they paid me the
quarter! What a waste of good financial resources. When I think of
all of the good that money could have done, it really makes my blood
boil. Disgusting, disgusting.
Connie Canode
At 08:50 AM 1/12/2008, you wrote:
>I imagine that we could use this ridiculous contraption. I mean,
who's going
>to be in the bathroom for fifteen minutes, and someone could tell us
about
>which button is which beforehand, but this is just astounding on what
some
>people will design.
>David
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
>To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet Blind-Talk Mailing List"
><BlindTlk at nfbnet.org>; <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:38 AM
>Subject: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
>
>
>Okay, just another device that's going to be user unfriendly to the
blind.
>
>Sherri
>Subject: Technology?
>
>FACILITIES REVIEW. Greetings, Earthlings.
>Your New Restroom Is Ready.. NY Times Metropolitan Desk2008-01-11
>By MICHAEL WILSON. When New York City's open-armed embrace
>of tourists finally extends beyond the boundaries of Earth to
creatures from
>outer
>space, these visitors will find themselves right at home in Madison
Square
>Park's
>sleek, shiny new public toilet.
>Indeed, the toilet calls to mind not a port-o-let, but rather the
sort of
>room one
>imagines adjoined the personal quarters of Capt. James T. Kirk on the
>Starship Enterprise.
>It is a 25-cent journey to the future -- and, almost secondarily, a
not
>unpleasant
>restroom.
>The restroom was unveiled on Thursday, the first of 20 planned for
the city
>after
>more than 30 years of false starts and frustrations. It faces Madison
Avenue
>just
>north of 23rd Street, and at first glance looks like a bus stop
shelter.
>There are two architectural flourishes, both on the roof: a small
pyramid of
>glass,
>like a little model of the Louvre, and an anachronistic metal
stovepipe,
>reminiscent
>of a cozy shanty or an old outhouse with a crescent moon carved into
the
>door.
>But no one goes to a bathroom to look at it. When the green light
marked
>'vacant'
>is lit, 25 cents -- coins only, no bills -- starts the visit.
>What follows is possibly the longest and most awkward 20 to 30
seconds of a
>person's
>day. The door slips open like an elevator, but then it stays open, to
>accomm odate
>those who need extra time getting in. Meanwhile, men and women in
suits walk
>past.
>It is very difficult to look inconspicuous in a bathroom on a
sidewalk in
>New York
>with the door open. There is just nothing to do but stand there. And
the
>delay will
>not please those who are in distress.
>Finally, the door closes, and the first surprise is the quiet. The
walls are
>padded
>to dampen street noise, leaving just the hum of a little fan
overhead.
>Six little lights and the skylight in the pyramid cast a neutral glow
over
>the user's
>home for the next 15 minutes, the maximum time limit.
>This toilet, which cost more than $100,000, is very spacious, large
enough
>to accommodate
>a wheelchair. One cannot touch the side walls with arms outstretched.
>The floor is rubber and, more strikingly, very wet, but not in a
>bus-station-men's-room
>way. There is an antiseptic, fresh smell to the place.
>Sadly, these little surprises are forgotten with the first look at
the
>toilet itself,
>an imposing, metal, cold-looking receptacle in the corner. There is
no
>little stall
>around it, and so it looks exposed, like the facilities available in
many
>prisons.
>It, too, is quite damp, for perfectly good reasons explained later,
but the
>image
>first evokes a dungeon or a scene from one of the 'Saw' pictures.
>There is no seat to raise or lower, just the wide rim of the bowl,
with
>covers made
>of tissue available in a dispenser to the side. Sitting down is a
leap of
>faith,
>like falling backwards into a stranger's arms at a corporate
team-building
>retreat.
>Turns out, it is cold. But once settled, the visitor finds the seat
the
>perfect place
>to take in the room's other amenities.
>There seem to be as many buttons as on Captain Kirk's bridge. Red
buttons,
>blue buttons,
>yellow buttons, black and green buttons. The red ones near the door
and
>toilet call
>the company for help in an emergency. The yellow calls for
'assistance,'
>presumably
>something less dire than an emergency, but nonetheless, a situation.
Blue
>flushes.
>Black dispenses toilet paper. One will quickly familiarize oneself
with that
>button,
>because the designers have deigned a little 16-inch strip the
standard
>helping of
>paper. A word to the wise: There is a maximum of just three helpings.
>Another tip:
>Do not tarry. A grim yellow light turns on when there are just three
minutes
>remaining,
>and after that, the door will open.
>The sink is across the room. The big shocker here is the soap
dispenser,
>which actually
>emits not a little squirt of soap, but a jet of warm water, with the
soap
>already
>mixed in. Everything is motion-activated. No knobs anywhere. The
warm-air
>hand dryer
>seems somewhat slow and weak, especially with that yellow light
blinking by
>the door.
>Assuming one finishes before the 15 minutes are up, the big green
button
>opens the
>door. The horns and sirens and chatter of the city return, jarringly.
>When the visitor steps out, the door shuts again, but the 'occupied'
light
>stays
>lit. Strange hisses and spraying sounds come from within -- did
someone slip
>past?
>No, actually, the room is cleaning itself. A robotic arm swings out
over the
>toilet
>bowl and hits it with disinfectant, while similar jets spray across
the sink
>and
>the floor. Then, dryers fan hot air over everything, but like the
hand
>dryer, they
>seem to need more juice.
>This is all taken at the designer's word, for it is impossible to
see. The
>cleanup
>cannot happen with someone in the room, with sensors below the floor
to
>detect any
>weight.
>After 90 seconds of cleaning, the green light outside comes back on.
Next?
>. PHOTO: Three officials, Janette Sadik-Khan, Adrian Benepe, center,
and
>Daniel L.
>Doctoroff, consider the city's new toilet. There's no seat to raise,
just
>the bowl's
>wide rim, with covers of tissues to use. (PHOTOGRAPH BY G. PAUL
BURNETT/THE
>NEW YORK
>TIMES) .
>Sherri
>
>sbrun at cfl.rr.com
>
>TO DONATE YOUR USED CELL PHONE AND CHANGE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND
IN
>CENTRAL FLORIDA go to:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Whether we succeed or fail in what we do is not the essential thing.
>
>What is important is the heart with which we live our lives.
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindtlk mailing list
> > blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
> >
>
>_______________________________________________
>blindtlk mailing list
>blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
_______________________________________________
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blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
-------------- next part --------------
Waaaaait a minute here. Let's curb our indignation for a moment and use our noodles. What is one of the greatest complaints many (especially females) have about public restrooms? Lack of cleanliness. So everything is disinfected (whether this really works is, perhaps, another story). And we don't want people touching anything (except, of course, ourselves) so there's an incentive to have pushbuttons. And automatic doors are a consequence of those with mobility impairments asking for accessibility. Yes, the thing will probably be a pain for us, the blind. And yes, it probably costs more than it ought. But there *is* rationality behind many of the features.
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From:
mailto:satin-bear at sbcglobal.net Constance Canode
To:
mailto:blindtlk at nfbnet.org NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
Sent:
Saturday, January 12, 2008 9:50 AM
Subject:
Re: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
I wouldn't look at this stupid contraption if they paid me the
quarter! What a waste of good financial resources. When I think of
all of the good that money could have done, it really makes my blood
boil. Disgusting, disgusting.
Connie Canode
At 08:50 AM 1/12/2008, you wrote:
>I imagine that we could use this ridiculous contraption. I mean, who's going
>to be in the bathroom for fifteen minutes, and someone could tell us about
>which button is which beforehand, but this is just astounding on what some
>people will design.
>David
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sherri" < mailto:flmom2006 at gmail.com flmom2006 at gmail.com
>
>To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet Blind-Talk Mailing List"
>< mailto:BlindTlk at nfbnet.org BlindTlk at nfbnet.org
>; < mailto:nfbf-l at nfbnet.org nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
>
>Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:38 AM
>Subject: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
>
>
>Okay, just another device that's going to be user unfriendly to the blind.
>
>Sherri
>Subject: Technology?
>
>FACILITIES REVIEW. Greetings, Earthlings.
>Your New Restroom Is Ready.. NY Times Metropolitan Desk2008-01-11
>By MICHAEL WILSON. When New York City's open-armed embrace
>of tourists finally extends beyond the boundaries of Earth to creatures from
>outer
>space, these visitors will find themselves right at home in Madison Square
>Park's
>sleek, shiny new public toilet.
>Indeed, the toilet calls to mind not a port-o-let, but rather the sort of
>room one
>imagines adjoined the personal quarters of Capt. James T. Kirk on the
>Starship Enterprise.
>It is a 25-cent journey to the future -- and, almost secondarily, a not
>unpleasant
>restroom.
>The restroom was unveiled on Thursday, the first of 20 planned for the city
>after
>more than 30 years of false starts and frustrations. It faces Madison Avenue
>just
>north of 23rd Street, and at first glance looks like a bus stop shelter.
>There are two architectural flourishes, both on the roof: a small pyramid of
>glass,
>like a little model of the Louvre, and an anachronistic metal stovepipe,
>reminiscent
>of a cozy shanty or an old outhouse with a crescent moon carved into the
>door.
>But no one goes to a bathroom to look at it. When the green light marked
>'vacant'
>is lit, 25 cents -- coins only, no bills -- starts the visit.
>What follows is possibly the longest and most awkward 20 to 30 seconds of a
>person's
>day. The door slips open like an elevator, but then it stays open, to
>accomm odate
>those who need extra time getting in. Meanwhile, men and women in suits walk
>past.
>It is very difficult to look inconspicuous in a bathroom on a sidewalk in
>New York
>with the door open. There is just nothing to do but stand there. And the
>delay will
>not please those who are in distress.
>Finally, the door closes, and the first surprise is the quiet. The walls are
>padded
>to dampen street noise, leaving just the hum of a little fan overhead.
>Six little lights and the skylight in the pyramid cast a neutral glow over
>the user's
>home for the next 15 minutes, the maximum time limit.
>This toilet, which cost more than $100,000, is very spacious, large enough
>to accommodate
>a wheelchair. One cannot touch the side walls with arms outstretched.
>The floor is rubber and, more strikingly, very wet, but not in a
>bus-station-men's-room
>way. There is an antiseptic, fresh smell to the place.
>Sadly, these little surprises are forgotten with the first look at the
>toilet itself,
>an imposing, metal, cold-looking receptacle in the corner. There is no
>little stall
>around it, and so it looks exposed, like the facilities available in many
>prisons.
>It, too, is quite damp, for perfectly good reasons explained later, but the
>image
>first evokes a dungeon or a scene from one of the 'Saw' pictures.
>There is no seat to raise or lower, just the wide rim of the bowl, with
>covers made
>of tissue available in a dispenser to the side. Sitting down is a leap of
>faith,
>like falling backwards into a stranger's arms at a corporate team-building
>retreat.
>Turns out, it is cold. But once settled, the visitor finds the seat the
>perfect place
>to take in the room's other amenities.
>There seem to be as many buttons as on Captain Kirk's bridge. Red buttons,
>blue buttons,
>yellow buttons, black and green buttons. The red ones near the door and
>toilet call
>the company for help in an emergency. The yellow calls for 'assistance,'
>presumably
>something less dire than an emergency, but nonetheless, a situation. Blue
>flushes.
>Black dispenses toilet paper. One will quickly familiarize oneself with that
>button,
>because the designers have deigned a little 16-inch strip the standard
>helping of
>paper. A word to the wise: There is a maximum of just three helpings.
>Another tip:
>Do not tarry. A grim yellow light turns on when there are just three minutes
>remaining,
>and after that, the door will open.
>The sink is across the room. The big shocker here is the soap dispenser,
>which actually
>emits not a little squirt of soap, but a jet of warm water, with the soap
>already
>mixed in. Everything is motion-activated. No knobs anywhere. The warm-air
>hand dryer
>seems somewhat slow and weak, especially with that yellow light blinking by
>the door.
>Assuming one finishes before the 15 minutes are up, the big green button
>opens the
>door. The horns and sirens and chatter of the city return, jarringly.
>When the visitor steps out, the door shuts again, but the 'occupied' light
>stays
>lit. Strange hisses and spraying sounds come from within -- did someone slip
>past?
>No, actually, the room is cleaning itself. A robotic arm swings out over the
>toilet
>bowl and hits it with disinfectant, while similar jets spray across the sink
>and
>the floor. Then, dryers fan hot air over everything, but like the hand
>dryer, they
>seem to need more juice.
>This is all taken at the designer's word, for it is impossible to see. The
>cleanup
>cannot happen with someone in the room, with sensors below the floor to
>detect any
>weight.
>After 90 seconds of cleaning, the green light outside comes back on. Next?
>. PHOTO: Three officials, Janette Sadik-Khan, Adrian Benepe, center, and
>Daniel L.
>Doctoroff, consider the city's new toilet. There's no seat to raise, just
>the bowl's
>wide rim, with covers of tissues to use. (PHOTOGRAPH BY G. PAUL BURNETT/THE
>NEW YORK
>TIMES) .
>Sherri
>
>sbrun at cfl.rr.com
>
>TO DONATE YOUR USED CELL PHONE AND CHANGE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLIND IN
>CENTRAL FLORIDA go to:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Whether we succeed or fail in what we do is not the essential thing.
>
>What is important is the heart with which we live our lives.
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> > _______________________________________________
> > blindtlk mailing list
> > mailto:blindtlk at nfbnet.org blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
> >
>
>_______________________________________________
>blindtlk mailing list
>blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
_______________________________________________
blindtlk mailing list
mailto:blindtlk at nfbnet.org blindtlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk
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