Japanese toilets measuring stool's colour, hardness, amount to sell for US$3,300
TOKYO: Toilet maker TOTO Ltd will begin selling on Aug 1 a toilet equipped with a sensor that measures the coloUr, hardness and amount of stool.
The company says this is the first such product in Japan for general residential use.
Two models of TOTO's high-end 'Neorest' series toilets will be equipped with the function.
The suggested retail price, including tax, starts at ¥493,900 (US$3,320). The company aims to sell 7,300 units per year in the third year of the launch.
A light-emitting diode (LED) built into the models sheds light on falling stool, and the sensor receives the reflected light to measure the length, contour and surface shape. The colour is recorded in three levels (ochre, brown and dark brown), the hardness in seven levels (including liquid and semi-solid) and the volume in three levels.
Up to six users can check the data on their smartphones. The Japan News/ANN
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
14 minutes ago
- The Star
Cambodian government waives fines for expired tourism licenses
International guests visit the temples of the Angkor Archaeological Park, earlier this month. -- APSARA National Authority PHNOM PENH (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): The Cambodian government has announced a relief measure for the tourism industry. It will waive provisional fines for expired tourism licenses of all types, with the exception of tour guide licenses. The waiver was announced in a July 17 notice from the Ministry of Tourism. It took effect from the date of the notice and will remain in place until September 30. Approved by Prime Minister Hun Manet, the exemption aims to support tourism businesses during the 'green season' and alleviate compliance burdens. The ministry urged all affected businesses to reapply for license renewals at the ministry or their respective provincial tourism departments. 'All types of tourism businesses with expired Tourism Licenses should reapply for a renewal of their Tourism Licenses at the Ministry of Tourism or the provincial Tourism Department. For more information, please contact 1221 during business hours,' said the announcement. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
The Star
14 minutes ago
- The Star
Myanmar to offer low-interest loans to drive growth in agriculture, livestock sectors
YANGON (Xinhua): The Myanmar government will disburse low-interest loans from the State Economic Promotion Fund, aiming to promote the country's agriculture and livestock sectors, state-owned daily The Mirror has reported. At a Union Price Stability Committee meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday, Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein said the government plans to disburse 688 billion kyats (US$327.61 million) in agricultural loans for over 5 million acres of land in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the report said. The minister called for high production of foodstuffs to ensure proper prices, promoting agriculture and livestock-based manufacturing, and expanding the cultivation of edible oil crops, it said. The Union Price Stability Committee, formed on August 18, 2023, is working on basic food price stability, balancing between local needs and production, ensuring the proper flow of goods in and out and supervising matters that disrupt commodity price stability in accordance with the law, the report said. - Xinhua
New Straits Times
34 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia should focus on critical economic sectors in tariff negotiations
IF there was ever any doubt that US President Donald Trump's tariffs were nothing but political, recent American actions have put it to rest. Early this month, Trump announced updated duties on imports from 25 nations through template letters that talked about everything but trade. Malaysia was not spared. Trump's letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim raises Malaysia's tariff from 24 to 25 per cent. More worryingly, the revised rate now covers "any and all" of Malaysia's US$43 billion exports to the United States. This means critical exports like semiconductors are no longer tariff-exempt, at least unless a subsequent Truth Social post or amended executive order indicates otherwise. Previously, 45 per cent of Malaysia's exports to the US were explicitly excluded from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, primarily in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector. Barring any deal, about 13 per cent of Malaysia's total exports will become more expensive overnight. US demand for Malaysian goods will come up against intense competition from markets subject to lower tariffs, such as the Philippines and Singapore. Until July 7, US-Malaysia trade talks seemed to be progressing well. Negotiations had entered their second round. Trump's team boasted of signing "90 deals in 90 days". So, what happened? It is premature to conclude that the negotiations failed outright. Even close US allies like Japan and South Korea were targeted despite months at the negotiating table. Trump is raising the stakes out of frustration with the inevitably slow pace of talks. Malaysia has until Aug 1 before the updated tariffs kick in. In the meantime, Putrajaya's priority should be to secure tariff exemptions or reductions in key sectors, including E&E. A critical consideration is that US tariffs are likely to stay for some time. The UK, despite its bilateral trade deficit, could not push tariffs below 10 per cent. Tariffs on Indonesia and Vietnam still hover around 20 per cent. Rather than chasing marginal across-the-board cuts, Malaysia should focus on sectors most exposed to the US, both in dollar terms and as a share of exports. Machinery and E&E products should top the list, as they make up 55 per cent of Malaysia's US-bound exports. This is more important than dismantling all our tariffs and non-tariff measures in the hope of a deal. Such an approach sets a dangerous geoeconomic precedent, leaving Malaysia vulnerable if the US reneges on any deal later. Instead, Malaysia should address legitimate concerns in a calculated way without surrendering policy space. One step is to strengthen legislation against "origin washing", or the transshipment of foreign goods to circumvent US tariffs. Another is to increase imports of high-profile American products, such as aircraft and soybean, to signal goodwill. Domestic regulations no longer serving credible public policy objectives, such as Malaysia's 2022 ban on compliant US poultry imports, should also be revisited. Malaysia must continue to diversify trade, positioning itself as a bridge between the Global South and North. Washington's policies should not distract from the existential task of strengthening economic complexity and equitable growth at home. There is no quick fix to the challenges that the tariffs have created but a strategic, nuanced response will serve Malaysia better. The writer is an analyst at Institute of Strategic & International Studies Malaysia
