Six years ago, the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City started a research and development project on smart toilet to equip Truong Sa archipelago and other islands of Vietnam. 

 The smart public toilets will contribute to a cleaner city and create a cleaner environment.

 “We have finished our mission and created a “smart toilet”. The smart toilet is “smarter” than ordinary ones as it can take advantage of solar power to operate, using a solar panel mounted at the top of the toilet. Power generated from the panel is used to operate the pumping, lighting systems, sterilization lamps and other electrical devices”, said Mr. Phan Tri Dzung, the manager of the project.

The smart toilet has 12 important automatic functions including: automatic flushing, deodorization and natural air supply, automatic cleaning and drying of toilet seats, sterilization using UV ray (when not in use), automatic faucets, automatic music system to create a relaxing atmosphere.

In addition, the smart toilets do not use running water for operating; it was designed with a special system for storing rain water in an underground water tank for operation. Otherwise, in case the location for smart toilet is unsuitable for building an underground water tank, it will be equipped with a different water generating system, which applies either sudden cooling technology or generating water from air compression.

To use such hi-end technology in the toilets, of course more investment is needed; however, this is regarded as the most feasible option in case the smart toilet is built in preserved areas in which digging is prohibited such as cultural and historic sites.

Mr. Phan Tri Dzung also pointed to another interesting feature of smart toilets – automatic waste treatment. Liquid waste will be processed into type A water and evaporate into air. Solid waste remaining after evaporation will be deposited and compressed. It is estimated that this smart waste treatment system is going to function smoothly in 10 years before new replacement.

According to Mr. Phan Tri Dzung, the smart toilet solution is drawing attention from German and Middle Eastern customers. The Middle Easterners especially like the technology that generates water from air and flush water saving of smart toilets due to the low level of rainfall in their countries. The German customers have agreed to sign with Mr. Phan Tri Dzung a collaborating investment contract.

Quite a few advertising agencies in Ho Chi Minh City have offered collaboration, according to Dzung. These ad agencies agree to fund the construction of smart toilets, in exchange for placement of their commercial ads on the smart toilets. If so, the authority of Ho Chi Minh City will not have to use welfare money to build those toilets. The only remaining problem is whether the smart toilet will gain support of authority, so a system of smart toilets in Ho Chi Minh City could be developed. Then, the local authority will be in charge of controlling the contents of different types of advertisement.

By Nguyen An