A shopping centre in Southern China has adopted an interesting technology to prevent smoking in toilets. The technology involves glass doors that turn transparent upon sensing smoke.
How a puff of smoke can make toilet doors go see-through
As per a report by the South China Morning Post, the system is installed in the male toilet facilities of the Shuibei International Centre and the Shuibei Jinzuo Building, which are two of the best-known jewellery malls in Guangdong province, in an effort to enforce current non-smoking laws in public buildings.
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The glass doors are opaque in their normal state. However, upon the detection of smoke, the glass becomes transparent in a matter of a few seconds, allowing everyone in the cubicle to be visible. This technology is designed to prevent people from smoking in a prohibited area.
Smart glass technology turns privacy into a deterrent
Additionally, notices have been installed on the toilet doors to educate the visitors on how the system works. One of the notices reads: “The glass will turn transparent if you smoke. Hold your urge to smoke if you do not want to become famous online."
The notices serve to be a reminder to act as an additional deterrent to make the smoker aware that privacy will be breached by smoking in the cubicle.
Smoke and you may go viral
As per a report by the Hindustan Times, a staff member from Shuibei Jinzuo has been quoted as saying that this system has been pilot tested since August. According to this staff member, Zhao, feedback has been positive from shop owners and consumers alike. This came after complaints were received by malls regarding people taking. Smokes in toilet areas despite no-smoking signs being erected in those areas.
Smoking is banned indoors in public areas, and both shopping malls are classified as non-smoking buildings. The traditional methods of warning signs and penalties in the form of fines have not been successful in discouraging people from smoking in toilets, and now both malls are exploring different methods.
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What happens if the system malfunctions?
However, to cover the issue of privacy, the mall management stated that the glass will be responsive only to smoke signals. Additionally, a reset button will be put in place to handle scenarios where the system is accidentally triggered.
Despite these efforts, warnings have been sounded by legal experts that if the system fails and the rights of the users are jeopardised, the shopping centres can be sued, said local lawyer Lu Weiguo.
This has created buzz among netizens, with many of them complimenting Shenzhen’s innovative approach to this problem. There have been jokes about setting up shower systems for each cubicle that are triggered when smoke is detected, as well as calls for the technology to be implemented in public toilets throughout China.
