Self-driving toilet

The Xiaoban is a self-driving smart toilet from Yueban (Show Ban), a Chinese company, debuted at an expo in Shanghai focused on elderly care, assistive devices and rehabilitation medicine. It is designed for people with mobility limitations due to age, injury or disability, and travels through a home or care facility to the user when summoned by remote control or voice command.

Navigation uses sensors including lidar and ultrasonic, similar to advanced robot vacuums, to plan routes that avoid obstacles and stairs. The toilet includes a built-in bidet and warm-air dryer instead of paper, a self-cleaning bowl, a sealed waste receptacle and ultraviolet lights to kill bacteria and limit odors. After use it returns to a charging dock with plumbing and drainage, where it recharges, refills and empties pulverized waste. If the dock has no drainage, it instead visits a bathroom where an extending arm pumps the waste into a regular toilet.

The user may still need help getting onto the toilet, so it reduces rather than replaces caregiver work. It is expected to sell for ¥28,999 (about $4,300) in China, according to IT Home as cited by The Verge. Global availability has not been confirmed.