Final Project

Research & ideation phase

Already before Fablab 2025 began I knew what I was interested in creating for my final project.

Over countless dinners I have explained to friends my theory on how reducing small frictions between men and women across the world would have a big impact. The toilet is a shared space, the work should be split, no? And yet, at the same time, I know how poorly men aim when doing their business. I also know how infrequently expectations actually align with reality, and how both sexes have different expectations when it comes to the toilet seat.

It's an ideological connundrum that spans hundreds of years.

My proposed solution:

insert photos of original prototype failures — highlighting my need for fablab

Motion sensor

This was the part that I felt the most confident about: the motion sensor. I plan to make a 3D printed housing that will house the sensor and can communicate with the toilet bowl lifter. It will attach to the under side of the toilet bowl with a suction cup.

project sketch1

Suction cup

Toilet seat lifter

I started by asking AI a bunch of questions to try and figure out what kind of motors / hinges / levers I could use. I use AI because I don’t know what I’m looking for and I find that it’s good at, at least, pointing me in the right direction.

After reading AI’s suggestions, I decided to look up linear actuators. My linear actuator idea would probably need to be placed on the ground, which I'm not sure how I feel about, but I also want to minimize contact with the dirtier parts of the toilet (ie. inside the bowl) -- so, clamping the actuator onto the toilet might not be optimal. Alas, there is still much to consider.

project sketch 2

Along the way I found a video about motors + servos and a mechanical toilet seat lifter which gave me an idea of how my liner actuator design would connect to the toilet seat.

Mechanical toilet seat lifter

project sketch 3

But, I wasn't done yet! My research would continue after a short bathroom break, I thought. My bathroom break turned into a research session and a new idea for how to lift the toilet seat was born.

project sketch 4

Again, I used AI to direct me towards what kind of system I would need. To give you an idea of how clueless I was, this was my prompt to AI "are there any clock hand like mechanisms that have enough force that you cant push it back -- so sort of a one way".

The list I received from AI included the ratchet and pawl system.

From there I needed to figure out if there were any ratchet and pawl systems that could also go back the other way:

Stepper motors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7spK_BkMJys

Lift with ratchet system > don’t go up too far, to avoid it getting stuck (so that gravity can pull it back down) > trigger release (falls back down) > slow landing ‘ikea’ system

A few design question / parameters to consider:

  • What to do about soft close hinges…?
  • Does the lifting mechanism attach to the toilet or the floor?

Extra resources: