Design: Environmental Redundancy
In North America, toilets are filled almost to the top with water; in Hong Kong, they are filled only about 10%. If you're a guy that wears glasses, and use the toilet at night, you'll appreciate this.
At night, you're stumbling around, aiming as best you can (remember you can't see very well). The water in the toilet acts as a great redundancy in the environment to let you know you're aiming okay. If you don't hear the splash, that usually means that you're missing. Here in HK, there is no splash, which can cause significant consternation at 2:00am in the morning, when it sounds like you missed everything and are just peeing all over the bowl and onto the floor.
Here is a great case where when one modality (sight) is limited, our ears can help take over. The redundancy in the environment is great. I didn't even notice the redundancy until I came here, and my sense of hearing was hampered as well.
At night, you're stumbling around, aiming as best you can (remember you can't see very well). The water in the toilet acts as a great redundancy in the environment to let you know you're aiming okay. If you don't hear the splash, that usually means that you're missing. Here in HK, there is no splash, which can cause significant consternation at 2:00am in the morning, when it sounds like you missed everything and are just peeing all over the bowl and onto the floor.
Here is a great case where when one modality (sight) is limited, our ears can help take over. The redundancy in the environment is great. I didn't even notice the redundancy until I came here, and my sense of hearing was hampered as well.
posted by tangaroo at 6:48 p.m.
2 Comments:
Hahahahah. Mr. HCI, may I quote you on this one?
of course! ;-)
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