On public toilet technologies

Public toilets are essential for almost everyone when going out. In recent years I can see different types of new technology introduced so as to enhance user experience. Here are the following two I want to talk about.

Dyson 2-in-1

This is more and more common including public toilets, that you can wash and dry your hands in the same place. Unfortunately it excludes hand soap so maybe I should add hand soap before washing and drying (but I get used to add water to my hands first) in order to streamline the process.

Another issue is that the dryer on the side can easily be triggered when washing in the middle of the tap.

When it is crowded in the toilet, people will need to wait longer than usual as we have to spend more time on the basin.

3-in-1 automatic hand wash dryer

I first found it in Battersea Park. Just put your hands in, and the machine will bring you soap, followed by water and dryer. During the first two stages you will have to rub your hands.

It has made me think of the movies casted by Charlie Chaplin that he has to catch everything up in the factory. Washing hands have become a kind of working that you have only a few seconds covering soap to every part of your hands as well as removing them. How long? It depends on the buyer who set the period. For me, mostly it was too short. Only the one in Tesco Extra in Streatham does allow more time.

Everyone's hand size is different, and the washing/drying time thus varies. In some circumstances our hands may be dirtier than usual and this can contribute to longer periods. It's no good when washing hands has become something like working in a factory that everyone has to be fast pace. I wonder if the designer has washed the hands before. It won't improve public hygiene but worsen.

The current design is already the best

I would say the current design, which has the tap and hand soap with sensors, with hand dryers separately but not integrated into one machine, is already the best because people who finish washing their hands can move to the hand dryer, allowing others to wash hands without much waiting time.

Don’t get me wrong. I mean design is essential, but the current issue is over design which doesn’t bring any improvement or fix to problems.