Smelly Toilet Sensors and How They Will Destroy Privacy

A shopping mall in China has installed sensors in toilet cubicles to alert users which ones smell bad and which are fresh, but while this may be somewhat hilarious, it is also very concerning regarding privacy. What exactly has been reported, how could such technologies actually provide benefits, and what are the privacy implications?

Smelly toilet sensors launched in a Chinese shopping mall

Engineers are constantly finding new uses for tech, and during the height of IoT hype, devices such as IoT kettles and toasters were not uncommon (thankfully, they have faded out of existence somewhat). Furthermore, the release of new sensors and cheaper electronics continuously provides engineers with new opportunities, and recent reports circulating online show how engineers have installed sensors into public bathrooms in a Chinese shopping mall to identify which cubicles are smelly.

But the engineers who created the smart sensor system have taken the tech to the next level with a large futuristic display shown on the outside of the toilet area, and each cubical given either a green or red light indicating how fresh the toilet is. One video posted online shows a lady commenting on the tech as unnecessary but funny, and yet others (such as myself) welcome the idea of being warned of which cubical has a remanence of someone’s last dinner.

The creators behind the system believe that the sensor technology will allow users to also avoid foul air and toxic odours, and while foul air isn’t exactly known to transmit disease, the resulting odour from the last visitor may correlate with the presence of bad bacteria and potentially unclean surfaces.

Could such technologies be beneficial to society?

While the idea of having sensors in each cubicle may sound extreme and pointless, some potential benefits could arise from their use. By far, the most significant advantage is the ability for cleaning staff to monitor the state of each toilet in real time. Areas that are not frequently cleaned can quickly spread bacteria and viruses, and many public restrooms lack cleaning facilities for public use. Thus, being aware of each toilet’s state can help minimise cross-contamination.

Another potential use for such sensors is to identify areas at risk of virus transmissions such as COVID. Researchers are already working on electronic sensors designed to detect the presence of COVID viruses, and such sensors can be programmed to detect many other strains of viruses. If, for example, those that lead to upset stomachs can be identified, then others can be warned against using specific cubicles. 

Finally, additional sensors attached to toilet roll dispensers can help prevent those who rush into a toilet and start a project without checking they have all the needed resources. Not only does this help improve the experience of using public restrooms, but it also eliminates embarrassing moments.

What privacy challenges do such systems present?

As funny as the new system is, there are countless privacy issues with such technologies, and it’s no surprise that China was the country to implement the technology. By far, the biggest cause for concern is whether individuals can be linked to cases of “bad air”, which would not only be immensely embarrassing but can even lead to ostracisation by the public. 

Another cause for concern is the types of sensors being integrated into such applications and whether the engineers creating the system can be trusted. Simply put, thermal and gas sensors present little cause for privacy concerns, but installing pixel arrays and cameras can quickly become problematic. This will also be problematic if microphones or even localised trackers such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are installed. In fact, the use of localised Wi-Fi (for whatever reason or purpose) could allow a database to record the MAC addresses of those who enter the cubicle, and this could be correlated to times of “foul air”, which again allows for engineers to match past users to bad visits.

When considering that countries such as China actively conduct mass surveillance and tracking, surveillance, it is likely that the government will be watching this technology closely and develop plans on how that data can be used. Maybe those with bad experiences in the cubicle could be marked as potentially infectious, which would alert other nearby users to keep away from them. 

Overall, the idea of installing monitoring sensors in cubicles screams a major violation of privacy, and even though it may be funny, it is certainly worrying.