Japanese designer Kazoo Sato has created a public toilet that uses voice commands to control functions including the door, toilet flush, taps and ambient music as part of the Tokyo Toilet project. Situated in Nanago Dori Park in the heart of Tokyo’s Shibuya financial district, the hemispherical toilet responds to increased hygiene concerns in the pandemic. Japanese toilets are globally recognized for their technical innovations and Sato has worked with experts in architecture, acoustics and toilet manufacturing to harness the latest technologies in his design. “After three years of research, planning and designing, we came up with the concept of the voice-command toilet called Hi Toilet, where all commands were activated by voice,” explained Sato. “This idea has been in place long before the arrival of COVID-19, but COVID-19 accelerated the acceptance of this unique user experience in terms of ‘toilets being contactless,’” he added. An accessible toilet is housed in one side of the structure, with men’s urinals located in the other. The toilet building features a hemispherical form that was chosen to enhance internal airflow. A 24-hour ventilation system also helps to prevent odors from building up. Users entering the toilet are greeted by an automated message explaining that they can use voice commands to operate the door, to flush the toilet, to turn the tap on or off, and to play music. Japanese toilet manufacturer Toto provided one of its high-tech Washlet toilets that include a cleaning water jet nozzle and automated lid for hands-free operation. The toilet is the 12th in a series of 17 public toilets planned as part of the Tokyo Toilet project, which has invited leading Japanese and international creative talents to contribute unique designs. (SD-Agencies) | 