With the acceleration of China’s urbanization process and the significant improvement of people’s quality of life, the intelligent transformation of urban public facilities has become an irreversible trend. Among them, public restrooms, as a basic link in the urban public service system, are intelligent. Upgrading is not only an important symbol of “smart city” construction, but also an important yardstick for measuring the degree of urban civilization and the quality of life of residents. In recent years, the rise of smart public toilets has not only greatly improved the hygienic conditions and user experience of traditional public toilets, but also brought unprecedented convenience and comfort to urban management and residents’ lives through a series of high-tech means.
Pain points and changes in traditional public toilets Traditional public toilets often leave people with a dirty impression due to poor management and outdated facilities. Serious odor is an unavoidable problem. These odors not only affect people’s sensory experience, but may also carry viruses and bacteria, endangering public health. However, with the advancement of technology, the emergence of smart public toilets has completely changed this situation. By installing an odor sensor (such as air quality sensor TGS2602 ) in a public toilet and combining it with the fresh air system, once an excessive odor is detected, the exhaust device can be automatically activated to quickly purify the air and achieve immediate improvement in the public toilet environment. This change not only changes public toilets from “avoidable” to “safe to use”, but also reflects the upgrade of urban management concepts and the enhancement of humanistic care.
Intelligent Management of Smart Public Toilets The intelligent management of smart public toilets goes far beyond that. Through Internet of Things technology, public toilets realize traffic control, odor, temperature and humidity, squatting occupancy and other multi-dimensional real-time monitoring and intelligent control. For example, infrared sensors are used to monitor toilet occupancy to avoid waiting in line; toilet time monitoring is set to ensure the safety of users; through mobile phone APP or QR code scanning applet, citizens can easily query information such as the location of public toilets, vacant toilets and air quality, and even participate in public toilet hygiene supervision and put forward improvement suggestions. These intelligent means not only improve the efficiency and management level of public toilets, but also enhance the public’s sense of participation and satisfaction, and promote the formation of urban civilization. The
social value and economic effect of smart public toilets The promotion and application of smart public toilets not only improves the quality and efficiency of urban public services, but also brings far-reaching social value and economic effects. On the one hand, it improves the urban sanitation environment, improves the quality of life of residents, and enhances the attractiveness and competitiveness of the city; on the other hand, through intelligent management, it realizes the optimal allocation of resources and energy conservation and emission reduction, which is in line with the concept of green development. In addition, the rise of smart public toilets has also driven the development of related industries, such as sensor manufacturing, Internet of Things technology application, big data analysis, etc., injecting new vitality into economic growth.
Conclusion As an important part of the construction of “smart cities”, the rapid development and widespread application of smart public toilets not only marks a significant improvement in the level of intelligence of urban public service facilities in China, but also a vivid manifestation of the progress of urban civilization and the improvement of residents’ quality of life. In the future, with the continuous advancement of technology and the deepening of its application, smart public toilets will be more humane, intelligent, and green, becoming a new business card for urban civilization and contributing to the construction of a more livable, business-friendly, and tourist-friendly urban environment.
