SCIENCE SAVVY
TRANSFORM BATHROOMS WITH TECHNOLOGY
Technology is infiltrating every room of the house. Many new homebuyers are millennials, and this tech-savvy demographic covets technological innovations. A recent survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate indicates that 77 percent of Generation X and Y homebuyers want their homes equipped with the tech capabilities to which they have grown accustomed. Many of these involve smart innovations, including those that can transform one of the most private rooms in the house — the bathroom.
Automated home-theater rooms and Wi-Fi-enabled home security systems have become the norm. The following are just some of the bathroom gadgets and gizmos no one should resist before giving them a try.
Automatic faucets
Infrared sensors have been helping keep public restrooms more hygienic for years. The same technology can be used in home bathrooms to curtail water waste and keep faucets and sinks from becoming infested with germs. In addition, faucets with built-in timers can be programmed for tasks such as brushing teeth and washing your face.
Smarter weight management
Bathroom scales have gone high-tech as well, with various options enabling users to measure weight, BMI and body-fat percentage before sending the data wirelessly to a phone, tablet or computer. This can put users in greater control of their fitness goals.
High-tech toilets
Borrowing ideas from bidets and trends around the world, modern toilets do not require hands or paper. These toilets have temperature-controlled water, spritzing wands and air dryers to clean and sanitize. Self-cleaning toilets help busy professionals save time and are ideal for those who always want their bowls as clean as possible. Toilet-seat warmers can be a boon for those who enjoy comfort, while LED lights can make nighttime restroom visits easier. Soaking tubs
As fast as stand-alone showers were introduced to the modern bathroom, tubless designs have been replaced with streamlined soaking tubs. Tubs come with different features, including chromatherapy, which employs colored lights to enhance mood. Air baths are controlled electronically and provide different levels of sensation for those who are skipping the hot tub.
Round out these innovations with automated lights, chilled medicine cabinets and aromatherapy, and any bathroom will indeed become a technological spa.