Getting up in the night to nip to the loo is a bother for many people – but not for much longer.
Chinese tech brand Yueban has unveiled the world’s first self–driving toilet that can bring the bathroom to you.
With the press of a button or simply a voice command, the faithful bot will wheel over to its owner to save them from getting up.
And the inventors behind this wacky device say that it can even flush and clean itself afterwards.
Dubbed ‘Xiaoban’, meaning ‘Little Companion’, the robot toilet is already available in China for 28,999 yuan (£3,200).
Yueban says the robot is mainly intended for elderly people or those living with disabilities who might otherwise need a carer to take them to the bathroom.
However, social media users have jokingly suggested that it might be just as popular with anyone feeling especially lazy.
On X, one fan joked: ‘It’s built for older people, but young adults are gonna be the ones actually using it.’
Chinese tech brand Yueban has unveiled the world’s first self–driving toilet called Xiaoban, meaning ‘Little Companion’
The unusual robot was unveiled at the Shanghai International Aged Care, Assistive Devices, and Rehabilitation Medical Expo on June 5.
In a translated statement, a spokesperson for Yueban told reporters: ‘We hope to promote barrier–free society through intelligent technology, so that everyone can be cared for equally.’
The Xiaoban toilet is operated via a remote fitted with large, ‘elderly friendly’ buttons or by voice commands.
It is designed so that the voice recognition system will work offline, so you don’t get caught out if the WiFi goes down.
After receiving the command, Xiaoban uses its ‘AI 3D Obstacle Avoidance System’ to navigate straight to the user.
The robot is fitted with a combination of LiDAR and ultrasonic sensors to build a map of its environment and dodge any hidden obstacles.
Thankfully, Yueban says this means it doesn’t need any cameras to find its way around, keeping users’ privacy intact.
Once the user has done their business, there is a warm water bidet wash and a blast of air to dry them off, followed by a final flash of ultraviolet light to disinfect everything.
The bizarre robot can make its way to the user when called, emptying and cleaning itself afterwards
The robot uses a combination of LiDAR and ultrasound sensors to map its environment, meaning that it can dodge obstacles on the floor
The company says the toilet even has a ‘heavy–duty odour–neutralising system’ containing a foam shield and activated charcoal filter to neutralise any unwanted smells.
All the user then needs to do is step off and command the bot to return to its dock.
Its docking station can be hooked directly into the home’s plumbing, so everything can be flushed directly out after passing through a ‘low–noise grinder’ to prevent any potential blockages.
However, if Xiaoban can’t find its dock, the bot can also dump its waste straight into a regular toilet.
In demonstrations, engineers showed how the toilet can position its folding ‘arm’ over the bowl and eject the waste through an extending nozzle.
Once empty, Xiaoban will even clean itself off to save even more work.
The system is cleaned with pressurised water jets and a UV light to ensure that it is completely sanitary for its next use.
While Yueban insists that the toilet is aimed at reducing the burden on China’s overworked social care workers, many social media users instantly saw other uses.
Its inventors say that the robot is designed for the elderly or people with disabilities, and is aimed at reducing the burden on China’s overworked social care staff
One commenter on X wrote: ‘Some reason I can see gamers flocking to this.’
‘This is gonna do well with the gamer crowd LOL,’ another added.
Meanwhile, some tech fans were fascinated by the idea that they might be able to use their toilet as a mode of transportation.
One commenter added: ‘I need the mobile toilet to be classified as a wheelchair so I can ride it around the airport.’
‘Wheelchair hockey is going to get crazy in a few years,’ another jokingly suggested.
And one asked: ‘Can I use it to take a tour of the house while I poop?’
However, it may be a little while longer before roaming toilets become a reality in the West, since Yueban hasn’t confirmed whether Xiaoban will be released outside of China.
