This robotic self-driving toilet comes to you

这款自动驾驶机器人马桶会主动“找”你

The Xiaoban will safely navigate a home, clean up after users, and empty itself all on its own. “小伴”（Xiaoban）能够在家中安全导航，在用户使用后进行清理，并能完全自主地清空废弃物。

During a recent expo in Shanghai that focuses on elderly care, assistive devices, and rehabilitation medicine, a Chinese company called Yueban debuted a smart toilet that does something we haven’t seen before; it comes to you. The autonomous self-driving Xiaoban toilet was designed to improve accessibility for those dealing with mobility issues due to age, injuries, or disabilities. It’s expected to sell for ¥28,999 yuan in China, or nearly $4,300, according to IT Home, but global availability hasn’t been confirmed. 在最近于上海举办的一场聚焦养老、辅助器具及康复医疗的博览会上，一家名为“悦伴”（Yueban）的中国公司推出了一款前所未见的智能马桶：它会主动来到你身边。这款自动驾驶的“小伴”马桶旨在为因年龄、受伤或残疾而行动不便的人群提供更好的无障碍体验。据IT之家报道，该产品在中国市场的售价预计为28,999元人民币（约合4,300美元），但目前尚未确认是否会在全球范围内发售。

The Xiaoban toilet uses technology similar to what’s found in the most advanced robot vacuums. A suite of sensors, including lidar and ultrasonic, are used to autonomously plan safe routes through a home or care facility that avoid obstacles and stairs when it’s been summoned by a remote or voice commands. The user may still need assistance with actually getting onto the toilet, but it saves them from having to relocate to a bathroom. Based on videos of the Xiaoban in action, it also appears to handle nearly everything else. “小伴”马桶采用了与最先进的扫地机器人类似的技术。通过激光雷达和超声波等一系列传感器，当用户通过遥控器或语音指令召唤时，它能够自主规划出避开障碍物和楼梯的安全路线，在家庭或护理机构中穿行。虽然用户在坐上马桶时可能仍需他人协助，但它省去了用户必须前往卫生间的麻烦。从“小伴”的演示视频来看，它似乎还能处理几乎所有后续工作。

In lieu of paper, the toilet features both a built-in bidet and a warm air drying mechanism for cleaning the user, plus a system that self-cleans the bowl and seals waste inside an enclosed receptacle. That, along with ultraviolet lights that are used to kill bacteria, will help to minimize odors and potentially reduce the stigma of using a toilet away from a bathroom. 为了替代卫生纸，该马桶内置了冲洗喷头和暖风烘干装置，用于清洁用户身体。此外，它还配备了马桶内壁自清洁系统，并将废弃物密封在封闭的容器内。配合用于杀菌的紫外线灯，这些功能有助于最大限度地减少异味，并可能减轻在卫生间以外的地方使用马桶所带来的心理负担。

After the user is finished, the toilet will head to one of two places. If its charging dock is connected to plumbing and drainage the Xiaoban will first go there to recharge, refill its reservoirs, and empty the collected waste after it’s been pulverized to prevent blockages. If the dock lacks drainage, the toilet will instead first stop at a bathroom where an extending arm will pump the waste into a traditional toilet so it can be flushed away. While the Xiaoban doesn’t entirely replace caregivers, it does make their job a lot easier by eliminating the need to assist someone getting to a bathroom, and handling most of the cleanup afterwards. 用户使用完毕后，马桶会前往两个地点之一。如果充电底座连接了上下水管道，“小伴”会先回到那里进行充电、补充水箱，并将粉碎后的废弃物排空以防堵塞。如果底座没有排水设施，马桶则会先停在卫生间，通过一个伸缩机械臂将废弃物泵入传统马桶中冲走。虽然“小伴”无法完全取代护理人员，但它省去了协助用户往返卫生间的繁琐工作，并处理了大部分后续清理任务，从而大大减轻了护理人员的负担。