LOUIS Douglas III of San Francisco, California, has filed a British
patent application (2 223 164) on what he tastefully describes as 鈥榓n amusement
device for urinals鈥�.
The problem with urinals, says the inventor, especially in nightclubs,
is that people who use them are often inebriated and hence their aim is
poor. What is needed, he says, is something to capture the attention and
imagination of even the most inebriated user.
The patented solution is a pressure and heat sensor built into the base
of the bowl, to sense the presence of warm urine. This then triggers an
electric circuit, which produces an audible or visible signal.
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In its simplest form, this can be a lamp or buzzer. But more impressive
systems will have an array of lights and a sound synthesiser. 鈥楾his,鈥� says
the inventor, 鈥榠nduces the user to express his or her artistic talents by
creating an appropriate light show or symphony through a loudspeaker鈥�.
At the top end of the range, the inventor envisages a urinal fitted
not just with a loudspeaker, but a video screen as well. The sensors will
control the picture displayed on the tv screen, producing either a movie
film image or what the inventor describes as a 鈥榮tar burst effect鈥� to reward
accurate aim.
