Design Challenge
#3: How might we learn from COVID-19 to reimagine our future for life, work, learning and play?
Project Description
The bathroom bidet, an integral staple in most Japanese toilets, has slowly started to gain popularity in the world as a practical and eco-friendly solution to bathroom hygiene. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic leading to a toilet paper shortage in supermarkets globally, we have realised that there is a practical and urgent need for a substitute, reusable solution for reducing toilet paper usage. However, portable bidets are not practically designed enough to encourage widespread adoption. There is also still an unspoken taboo or not enough public knowledge about using a bidet, and users may be subject to uncomfortable stares from others, especially if they’re attempting to fill their bidets in public toilets.
We’ve redesigned the portable bidet, which we recognise to be the new essential.
Criteria #1: Value
Only 25% of the world’s population uses toilet paper for their daily toilet business, and this is understandably so, as toilet paper does not keep one clean 100%. Defecation and urine gets spread around rather than be removed. Water, on the other hand, is able to remove the fecal matter more effectively and more . Our portable bidet introduces this more hygienic practice in a very user-friendly and non-intrusive way, as it can be adopted by people and families of all lifestyles- seniors with mobility issues, new mums and young babies, people who are always out and about, even just at home. Best of all, it is reusable, allowing the user to reduce his toilet paper usage.
Criteria #2: Inspiration
In Singapore, people are used to the toilet paper and since bidet sprays or toilet-affixed bidets are not the norm, they are not exposed to the more effective and hygienic practice of using the bidet. Since our bidet looks just like a normal bottle when stored, and the nozzle even functions as a separate mini-bidet fixture as it is able to fix onto most common PET bottles commercially available, this makes it super-convenient and portable to be brought around in one’s purse or pocket.
This makes this bathroom essential discreet and portable enough for bidet users to continue to experience the best of bathroom hygiene no matter where they are, without being embarrassed about being scrutinized by others.
Criteria #3: Impact
Hygienic practices are vastly emphasized during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Washing hands and keeping ourselves and others free from germs via face masks and gloves are becoming a lifestyle norm, but bathroom (especially public bathroom) hygiene is still not emphasized enough. Because of this, portable bidet users outside of the home might be subject to curious, uncomfortable stares. We want to make this bathroom essential the norm, but during this transitional phase, we can still make this bathroom essential discreet and portable enough for bidet users to continue to experience the best of bathroom hygiene no matter where they are, without being embarrassed about being scrutinized by others.”
Criteria #4: Timeliness
We have already begun development and have received quite a significant number of preorders via crowdfunding platforms in February and March, with one currently running on Kickstarter until May. We have produced our first mold and are currently exploring design refinements before launching our mass production. We are scheduled to deliver to our first customers in September if all goes well.
Criteria #4: Timeliness
We have already begun development and have received quite a significant number of preorders via crowdfunding platforms in February and March, with one currently running on Kickstarter until May. We have produced our first mold and are currently exploring design refinements before launching our mass production. We are scheduled to deliver to our first customers in September if all goes well.
Criteria #5: Systems Thinking
We believe that this bidet redesign will allow current users to feel more at ease with using portable bidets outdoors, at the same time we are also spreading public knowledge about better toilet hygiene to the public, which benefits overall public hygiene during this global crisis.
