Re:Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
by astrange on Saturday November 27, 2021 @04:40AM
(#29358925)
They might want to prevent false activations since the doors tend to play annoying melodies when you go through them.
Re:Ask HN: What are the best-designed things you've ever used?
by akg_67 on Saturday November 27, 2021 @06:08AM
(#29359273)
Usually, the doors have a strip or label indicating press/touch/wave here but typically in Japanese or hand wave/ double chevron symbols. As a visiting foreigner, we typically are not used to seeing such signage. Over the years living here, I have started to recognize tell tale signs of automated doors in Japan.
First time I went to Japan I walked up to my hotel late at night. I went to the door. There was no handle or obvious way to open it. I stood there like an idiot for a minute or two. I walked back out to the street to make sure I'm at the right building. I walked back to the door and finally got it. The trick... you have to wave your hand directly in front of the door an inch or two. Places in Japan often do not put the motion sensor ahead of the door, but straight down. You start feeling like a Jedi at times, waving doors open.