Gareth Humphreys and Eelliott Whiteley of the University of Huddersfield have developed the folding toilet "Iota Folding Toilet" as a graduation project. This is a toilet bowl suitable for Japanese unit baths.



The biggest feature of "Iota Folding Toilet" is that it can be folded into a compact size. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the small bathroom area. If it is used for Japanese unit baths that can be installed in studio apartments, bathing will be easier.



Another feature of "Iota Folding Toilet" is that it can contribute to water saving. Cleaning is performed in a folded shape, in which water flows from top to bottom and effluents and dirt are removed by gravity, resulting in higher cleaning efficiency than conventional toilet bowls.


Further, in the conventional toilet, the drain trap portion has been a cause of clogging of the toilet. However, in "Iota Folding Toilet", the position of the trap is different when it is used and when it is folded, and the trap size itself is large, so it is less likely that the toilet will be clogged.


Many comments have been received on "Iota Folding Toilet". Half of them admire the idea. But the other half are worried that prices will be higher.

For example, in the United States, the price of a toilet bowl is about 9,000 to 30,000 yen. Many people buy this at home improvement stores and install it themselves. "Iota Folding Toilet" will not spread to countries with such a culture.

However, it is not uncommon for Japanese toilets to cost around 150,000 yen if they are washlet-integrated toilets. Isn't "Iota Folding Toilet" suitable for Japan, which is highly conscious of saving water, has a small bathroom, and is accustomed to expensive toilet bowls?