Public Bathroom

Los Angeles International Airport is testing the launch of a new program that uses technology to better manage a restroom in one of its terminals. According to Los Angels Times reporting, LAX is deploying lights and monitors that keep track of how often restrooms are cleaned, as well as a notification system that illuminates when a stall is vacant. Lights that turn green when a stall is vacant and red when it is occupied are being installed above each unit.

The test restroom is in Terminal 4, which is occupied by American Airlines, American Eagle and Qantas.

The "Tooshlights" system will be tied in with technology that keep track of how often a bathroom is used and when it needs to be cleaned.

This technology keeps track of the number of people who use a bathroom and alerts a janitor to clean it when it has reached a specific passenger usage threshold. The same system tells managers when and how often bathrooms are cleaned, the article said.

The system being launched at LAX is only one example of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that track restroom usage, low supplies or even the possibility of future malfunctions. Other IoT options allow for the tracking and monitoring of a whole host of usage data points. These data points include the amount of product remaining in a dispenser, as well as the usage of each restroom visitor. They can help determine highest restroom usage times and the relationship between the usage of different dispensers and even different locations. 

This technology can alert cleaning personnel of a problem well before a restroom patron or building manager notices, which can help improve user satisfaction.