Just off the drawing boards and very cool: the Universal
Toilet accommodating the needs of everyone in
one design.
The form of the Universal Toilet is similar enough to a standard
toilet that people of all abilities feel comfortable using it.
Wheelchair users don’t need to turn or twist but can simply slide
forward off the wheelchair directly onto the toilet. There is a chest
board to lean against for added stability and comfort. Handles on the
chest board can also be helpful when standing or transferring to and
from the wheelchair. For people that have limited dexterity or strength
and the able-bodied, the chest board becomes a backboard to lean
against.
The places where the
wheelchair would come in contact with the toilet
are wrapped in steel to prevent damage to the toilets’ finish. And the
surfaces on the toilet that come in contact with the human body are
treated with a special coating to mitigate coldness.
The Universal Toilet considers all requirements for a toilet, such as
target users, space and facility expenses. The design also incorporates
a sink. Its major feature is its adaptability to both the disabled and
non-disabled through the dual-function backboard and chest board. It
also offers considerable space efficiencies, requiring only a quarter of
the space of a standard disabled toilet. In addition, it conserves water
by recycling the water used in the attached sink.
The Universal Toilet was designed by
Changduk Kim and Youngki Hong. Changduk Kim and Youngki Hong
studied product and environment design at Daejin University in Pocheon,
South Korea. Changduk Kim is also a design researcher at Samsung Software
Membership and a recommended designer of the Korea Institute of Design
Promotion.
body are
treated with a special coating to mitigate coldness.
