Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke of Genius

Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by s09dfhks on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:29PM (#24193519)

I didnt see anything in the article about how they handle privacy when you're actually using the toilets. How will they accomplish this part?

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by awalton on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:32PM (#24193537)

> The design relies on a new smartglass technology that turns the walls opaque when the door is locked.

Which is pretty much exactly what I expected when I heard the words "transparent public toilets."

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by Decker87 on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:10AM (#24195489)

Perhaps because you didn't read it?

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by runamok on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:38PM (#24193583)

Paragraph 8: > The design relies on a new smartglass technology that turns the walls opaque when the door is locked. “At night, they light up the parks like a beautiful lantern,” according to The Nippon Foundation.

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by birdyrooster on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:42PM (#24193611)

It’s like The Sims in Japan, anytime genitalia comes out, a blur box is generated over top of it like the symbol of the Laughing Man in Ghost in the Shell.

Source: Have been to Tokyo several times

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by renewiltord on Monday August 17, 2020 @08:24PM (#24193940)

This is explained in the text between the headline and the first line.

The text reads: "Pritker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban's transparent public toilets turn opaque when in use."

The technology used is probably something like https://www.smartglassinternational.com/electric-switchable-... which is opaque when unpowered and transparent when powered.

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by zeitg3ist on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:32PM (#24193535)

“The design relies on a new smartglass technology that turns the walls opaque when the door is locked.”

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by mjyut on Tuesday August 18, 2020 @01:55AM (#24195703)

Explained in this video. https://youtu.be/xBvzzq3LF_w?t=61

> "You cannot see each other from the outside or inside"

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Re:Why Tokyo’s New Transparent Public Restrooms Are a Stroke... by wcarron on Monday August 17, 2020 @07:33PM (#24193546)

It states in the article that they will turn opaque when occupied.

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