(Photo: Keng Susumpow)
Why would you need a toilet on an elevator? Because of earthquakes. Japan has them frequently. People can get stuck in elevators and can be forced to wait for long periods of time to be rescued.
That’s a problem if you have to go.
During the 8.1-magnitude earthquake in Tokyo last Saturday, 14 people got stuck in elevators. Some of them had to wait up to 70 minutes before getting out. Many elevators in Japan already provide water, blankets, and boxes that can serve as toilets if absolutely necessary, and trapped people can make use of them.
Elevator toilets have already existed for years, such as the bucket seat featured in the video above. But now the Japanese government wants to make running water available to people trapped in elevators for extended periods of time.
-via The Geek Twins