It’s something everyone does. Now, sitting on a toilet could become a much more comfortable experience thanks to a set of non-electric automatic lifting and lowering toilet seats.
The team behind the operation includes researchers from Boston University and MIT. Over the course of four years, they have made two products that are completely non-electric. Of the products, one is designed with messy public bathrooms in mind.
“It lifts itself out of the way,” said Cleana Co-Founder Kevin Tang. “When you need to use it, you can simply pull it down either using the handle or a piece of tissue — there’s a large antimicrobial handle on it.”
“By doing this one simple change — keeping the seat up — as well as making it antimicrobial, you can actually keep public toilets about 88% cleaner in men’s restrooms and gender-neutral restrooms,” Tang said.
Cleana aims to make bathrooms more sanitary. In addition to the public bathroom seat, the company’s other product is designed to be used inside homes. Instead of lifting, it lowers itself.
“If you lift the seat up and someone neglects to put it down, which is usually the case that may set some individuals off, it will automatically lower itself and the lid after several minutes,” Tang said.
“Anyone who has grown up with a mother or sisters or lives with a partner right now, they will understand what the point of the residential seat is,” he continued.
There are already toilet seats that can open and close automatically. Tang, though, says what sets Cleana seats apart is the fact that they are completely non-electric. That helps out big time when it comes to the price.
While Tang said electric lifting and lowering toilet seats can go for prices between $1,000 and $8,000, he said Cleana will be marketing its products at a $95 price point.
The first shipments for Cleana’s public toilet seats are planned for the fall.
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