[Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
Dexter Terry
dterry at orednet.org
Mon Jan 14 10:59:03 CST 2008
Hi all,
You know that theyhave what use to be call outdoor house. All you need was
a catalog and your cane found the way to it somewhere outside unless it was
move during Halloweeen.
Dexter
----- Original Message -----
From: "T. Joseph Carter" <tjosephcarter at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 9:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
> 25 cents per use. And for that price you get a maximum of 12 squares of
> TP (to be eco-friendly!) and ... 14 gallons of water?! Oh well, so much
> for the environment.
>
> On Sat, Jan 12, 2008 at 07:48:44PM -0800, Gloria Whipple wrote:
> > I wonder
> > if they will charge anyone for the use of the toilet!
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
> > Behalf Of Mike Freeman
> > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 10:49 AM
> > To: NFBnet Blind Talk Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] technological toilet, this is for real!
> >
> > 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.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > -----
> > >
> > >
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> > > >
> > >
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> >
> >
> >
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