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Japan: See-Through Public Toilets Open in Tokyo Parks

posted by Fnord666 on Monday August 24 2020, @03:27PM   Printer-friendly
from the peek-a-poo dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for nutherguy:

Japan: See-through public toilets open in Tokyo parks:

Transparent public toilets which light up "like a beautiful lantern" have been installed in Tokyo.

The see-through loos have opened in two parks in Shibuya, a commercial part of the Japanese capital which is renowned for its shopping facilities and quality of nightlife.

The toilets use coloured "smart glass" which turns opaque when they are occupied.

The glass technology has been used so people can identify whether the toilet is clean - and if anyone is currently inside.

Users have already said how, once inside the toilet, they cannot tell if the glass is opaque or not - giving them the strange feeling they are on display while spending a penny.

[...] There are plans to open more of the transparent toilets across the same neighbourhood by next spring.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Monday August 24 2020, @03:49PM (2 children)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 24 2020, @03:49PM (#1041162) Journal

    See this recent SN article: Xiaomi Launches a Nearly Useless Transparent OLED TV [soylentnews.org]

    Would transparent toilets be a good application of this technology?

    Especially if you put two of these panels back to back. When unoccupied, both panels are transparent. When occupied, from inside you see opaque walls with nice scenery. From outside the toilet you see camera views of the person on display who is using that toilet -- so that you can tell it is occupied. A high tech solution to a real problem.

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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 24 2020, @04:51PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 24 2020, @04:51PM (#1041174)

    The problem with the transparent TVs is that because of the way they are made, if they glitch or power goes out, you are on full display to everyone outside. Unless a LCD layer can be made dark by default, which would be in between the displays.

    And you know it's going straight to internet if it fails transparent.

    And it's a waste of power.

    • (Score: 3, Touché) by FatPhil on Tuesday August 25 2020, @04:25AM

      by FatPhil (863) <reversethis-{if.fdsa} {ta} {tnelyos-cp}> on Tuesday August 25 2020, @04:25AM (#1041478) Homepage
      There's a remotely managed solution (probably there's even a cellphone app for it already) to all of the problems you raise. It's called Wireless Optionally Open/Opaque Security Handling. Or WOOOSH for short.
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