Japan's New Toilets Wash, Dry... and Fly!

The Toilet of the Future, Today!
Those amazing Japanese "washlets" pretty much do it all, from raising their lids in greeting as you enter the bathroom to washing and drying you off when you're done. Seems like Japanese toilets can do everything but fly... well guess again!

Please return your seat lids to the upright position...
OK, get those visions of Danny Deckchair out of your head, the combination bidet-toilets themselves don't have wings (if they did, you could call them "Always"), but they DO fly... aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliners ordered by Japan's number 2 (no pun intended) airline, All Nippon Airways. ANA's CEO Mineo Yamamoto confirmed that the new jets will feature warm jets - of water, that is - in their restrooms. Yamamoto proudly stated that the washlets will "refresh the parts other airlines cannot reach"... Wouldn't that look great on a billboard?

Pilot to co-pilot... bums away!
Long a staple of Japanese washrooms, high-tech commodes made by Toto Ltd. will be soaring into the wild blue yonder in May 2008 as ANA begins taking delivery of its 50 new Dreamliners. Expect the "occupied" lights to burn out with unusual, er, regularity as passengers park their posteriors on the pampering potties. Don't look now, but the best seat on the plane is no longer beside the window! (via Yahoo! Asia News )

Steve Levenstein
Japanese Innovations Writer
InventorSpot.com