New urinal designs

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Perception of “New” Designs

  • Several commenters say the “Nautilus”‑style urinal already exists, especially in Japan and in some Western commercial buildings.
  • Others cite older or simpler solutions (full-wall troughs, Kohler Derry, Victorian floor grates) as already solving splashback with less complexity.
  • Some feel the designs look lab‑driven and unfamiliar rather than user‑driven, especially the “Cornucopia” with a hole‑like opening.

Behavior vs. Geometry

  • Many argue most urine on floors comes from bad aim, distance, and inebriation, not splashback from good hits.
  • Drunk users, tall or short users, and older men with prostate issues are mentioned as real‑world edge cases that design alone may not handle.
  • Several suggest that in dirty restrooms people stand farther back, compounding mess regardless of urinal shape.

Sit vs. Stand Debate

  • A long subthread debates sitting to pee at home: cleaner bathrooms vs. convenience and speed of standing, especially in public.
  • Some insist sitting is more respectful and hygienic; others say it’s only viable where everyone does it, since mixed habits make seats too dirty.
  • Public toilets are widely considered too unhygienic to sit on unless absolutely necessary.

Critiques of the Study and Claims

  • Multiple commenters question the paper’s “million liters per day” splash estimate, digging into its assumptions about usage rates.
  • There is skepticism about environmental savings: mopping uses a fairly fixed amount of water regardless of how much urine is present.
  • Some think lab tests with dyed water and a pseudo‑urethra ignore real variation in flow, anatomy, and behavior; others counter that the angle‑of‑impact physics is what matters.

Usability & Hygiene Concerns

  • The Cornucopia is seen as intimidating or risky (“pointy angles near anatomy”), hard to clean inside, and likely to push users to stand farther back.
  • Simpler interventions—splash screens, cones, spiked mats, floor drains, good signage—are cited as already effective.
  • Several note that hand dryers and poorly designed sinks also aerosolize and spread bathroom contaminants.