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Take a Ceramic Bathroom tile. Boring isn't it? Now, Imagine that tile was a LCD screen, thin enough to replace the real tile. Combine the screen with superthin 'flat' speakers and a PC with DVD, web access etc. and your entire bathroom, showerroom or jacuzzi could become a fully enveloping multimedia
environment.
The LCD screens would be coated in the kind of substance that only appears translucent when lit from behind this is so that the ersatz tiles can be any colour you want. They would also have to be waterproof of course. The speaker tiles too would be coloured to match the bathroom and be insulated from the rest of the installation by a flexible sealant (so as not to cause damage through vibration and so on). This sealant would also have to be used to separate screens.
All access would be via Touch technology on one or more designated 'special' tilescreens, something similar to the track pad things on Dell Laptops. With the whole lot connected to a processor/modem etc. away from the moisture, you would have the ultimtimate Telecommuting environment.
(1997) Bob Heil's wired bathroom
http://www.s-t.com/...-23-97/l01ho263.htm
Remote-controlled speakers, lights, TV, CD player. [jutta, Jan 11 2001]
Itronix XC-6250
http://www.itronix....books/xc6250pro.asp
The Itronix laptop is cheap on ebay and water/drop proof to Military standards [dr_photon, Mar 03 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]
[link]
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... for the 5-10 minutes a shower usually takes. |
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Ahh, not just the shower though. This could be adapted for Swimming Pools and, as stated in the idea, Jacuzzis, Baths and so on. : ] |
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I envision many wrinkly people. |
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The whole wall should also swing out for easy access from the throne! |
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Touch pads and wet thumbs don't play well together. You want one of those thick PVC covered things they use in industrial situations, not touch pads. |
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[Jutta] - true, true. I hadn't thought of the effect soap might have on operations either. No worries, how about a different type of tactile interface? Textured, wall-mounted Trackball p'raps? |
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Could one do force feedback with a bunch of small water spouts? (Three settings: Normal, Auto-Scroll, and Massage...) |
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As long as you don't have a webcam, you're ok. |
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The screen should be made of frosted glass (only transparent when wet). |
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I have often times wished I could work on my computer
while I was in my shower. It would make lives just so much
more efficient, and the shower alot more fun. |
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Maybe connected to your other desktop computer, for
file transfer? |
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I think this idea is funny though I don't think it would b practical but Iwould like it (I won't b sic but i think you might b able to guess why) i'm voteing 4 the idea |
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Why not just get a ruggedizrd laptop? I bought an Itronix XC-6250 (monochrome screen) on eBay for $150 (the color screen ones go for 300, no one onts the grayscale ones). It is made of (thick) magnesium alloy, and is coated in some kind of rubber. It meets military standards for droppage (4 feet), water (4 inches per hour), vibrations, RF (emp???), screen open-shut cycles.....
I think this thing could survive in the shower. All of Itronix's products come with a radio. Mine has a CDPD cellular modem. 12k slow internet anywhere across the country, IF I paid the $70 a month...
It's a pentium 200 with a The page for the (old) XC 6250 is
http://www.itronix.com/products/notebooks/xc6250pro.asp
the new ($4000) version is the goBook.
The only problem might be the network. Try a laplink parallel port card. PCMCIA wireless cards and regular ethernet cards won't work because the wirless antanna or lan cable won't let the waterproof PCMCIA door thingy close. |
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