Thomas Crapper is commonly miscredited for the invention of the western-style flush toilet, coined “the Crapper”. While he played a key part in making the product more affordable and introducing indoor toilets to the middle class during the industrial revolution, Crapper did more to revolutionize indoor plumbing than the design of the toilet itself.
Nearly 300 years earlier the godson of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir John Harington, is generally credited with inventing the predecessor to the modern flush toilet. The contraption consumed 7.5 gallons of water per flush and was so loud that the queen found it too indiscrete for her personal use. In 1775 Scottish inventor Alexander Cummings was granted the first patent for a flush toilet that included an “s-trap” to retain water in the pipe after the bowl, thus separating the user from the sewer gases below. Then, along came Mr. Crapper who improved the water tank-filling mechanism and standardized other plumbing fixtures that made the toilet more affordable for middle class homes and public bathrooms.
Except for the key innovations surrounding the s-trap and incremental developments over the years to conserve water (going from 7.5 gallons in Queen Elizabeth I’s time to less than half a gallon today), very little toilet innovation has occurred over the past 400 years.
Smart Toilets emerged on the scene with the internet of things as homes became more wired and devices were connected to conserve energy and resources. Smart Toilets have been largely luxury items with features that include built-in warm-water bidets, heated seats ,user-recognition features and the like.
A Truly Smart Toilet that allows you to monitor your gut health through automatic at-home stool analysis without disrupting your daily routine?
This is where Coprata comes in.
