iToliet
01. Introduction
The iToilet is an innovative, ICT-enhanced toilet system designed to promote independence, safety, and dignity for older adults and people with disabilities. Initially developed through the AAL project iToilet, the system focused on creating a supportive toilet with features such as adjustable height and tilt, increased stability, and integrated fall detection to meet the specific needs of its users.
02. Summary of project aims and objectives
T4Me
Built upon iToilet to define and verify a concept for a larger R&D project, targeting public and semi-public toilets for ageing and disabled users.
T4Me
03. Product development and key features
These developments underscore the progression from a focus on individual accessibility (iToilet) to system-level solutions (T4Me, T4M2) capable of supporting autonomy, safety, and comfort in diverse environments.
Core Functionalities
- Adjustable tilt and height for user comfort and accessibility.
- Enhanced stability for safety and comfort.
- Integrated fall sensors to ensure safety and trigger emergency alerts.
- Smart recognition systems for automatic adjustments based on user preferences or body size.
Smart Interaction
- User preferences stored on smart cards, adjustable via smartphone or physical hand controls.
- Flexible interface options tailored to user preferences and age.
Safety Features
- Emergency alerts sent to pre-determined contacts in case of a fall.
- Bathroom activity monitoring and voice system improvements to enhance user communication during emergencies.
Consistent benefits over time
Institutional Settings:
- Designed for robustness and adaptability to accommodate diverse, unpredictable users.
- Emergency incidents logged into care documentation for enhanced management.
Private Settings:
04. Partners
05. Impact on participating in this AAL project for two partners
Key takeaways
Awareness Raising:
User-centred development:
- Flexibility in toilet settings to accommodate varied needs and contexts.
- Adaptable interaction methods tailored to individual user preferences.
Impact on Myneva Austria:
Awareness Raising:
- Established a commercial partnership with Austrian partner Cogvis, focusing on integrating fall sensor events into their software, carecenter, aimed at supporting care institutions.
- Initiated plans for phased commercialisation of a core adjustable toilet system (featuring height adjustment and potentially fall detection), developed by Hungarian partner Santis, targeting the Austrian and German markets via the reseller GL-projects.
06. Main learnings from developing a solution through an AAL project and the main impacts at the organisational level
TUWien
Awareness Raising:
- Gained new insights into marketing, regulatory frameworks, and assessing commercial viability.
- Developed expertise in user-testing and adaptation to diverse user needs and geographic markets.
- Recognised the importance of raising awareness and generating user acceptance in a challenging sector.
- Learned about the difficulties in commercialising AAL solutions due to market immaturity, providing valuable lessons for future endeavours.
Organisational impacts:
- Enhanced reputation and visibility through press coverage, awards, and presentations at events like the AAL Forum and Vienna’s research festival.
- Established new partnerships and improved credibility, increasing appeal to investors.
- Used the project to demonstrate the practical value of AAL solutions in improving the lives of older adults.
Key Insights
Myneva
Main Learnings
- Expanded technological expertise, particularly in integrating software with third-party components like safety features and preference-based smart cards.
- Discovered the broader market potential of AAL solutions beyond existing software offerings.
- Understood the importance of user involvement in developing meaningful, dignity-preserving products like the iToilet.
Organisational impacts:
- Acquired new skills and knowledge, which inspired follow-on projects and strategic partnerships.
- Boosted visibility and credibility by marketing the prototype extensively across Europe, raising awareness about toilet mobility solutions.
- Strengthened its product offering by incorporating user-centric features, such as automated adjustments and emergency communication tools, into its care centre software.
Key Insights
07. Impact on networking and collaboration for the two partners
AAL project participation significantly enhanced networking and collaboration for both TU Wien and Myneva. TU Wien leveraged its partnerships to advance co-designed, user-driven prototypes, while Myneva enriched its technological offerings through collaborations and gained insights into both local and international markets. The continuity of partnerships across projects cultivated trust, efficiency, and innovation, benefiting all stakeholders involved.
TUWien
Strengthened relationships:
TUWien built on its long-standing cooperation with Myneva Austria and other project partners through consecutive collaborations in the iToilet, T4Me, and T4M2 projects. Familiarity among partners led to smoother workflows and better synergy.
Co-Design and user involvement:
The projects emphasised joint activities such as co-designing prototypes and conducting user-testing in Austria and Hungary. Intensive collaboration with users and care staff enriched the prototypes with practical insights, fostering alignment between technical and user priorities.
Collaborative innovation:
Working closely with diverse partners enabled the development of a functional and user-centred product, strengthening networks across the European AAL ecosystem.
Myneva
Broadened collaboration:
Myneva deepened ties with TUWien and explored new partnerships, including a collaboration with Cogvis on integrating fall sensors. These connections facilitated innovation not only in toilet mobility solutions but also in other care-related contexts.
International insights:
The company learned about varying regulations and market needs across Europe, benefiting from exposure to diverse ideas and approaches. While their primary market remains Austria, interactions with international partners helped expand their strategic outlook.
Market-specific focus:
Collaboration with partners who operated within Austria proved particularly beneficial, enabling Myneva to align innovations with local market demands while maintaining international exchange.
08. The perceived benefits of participating in AAL support actions
AAL support actions, particularly AAL2Business and the AAL Forum, had a significant positive impact on TUWien. These actions facilitated networking, knowledge sharing, and refining their business model, while also enhancing the visibility and reputation of their solutions within the AAL sector.
TUWien
AAL2Business:
AAL Forum:
09. How AAL supported the project in the development and market adoption of its solutions
AAL played a critical role in refining the iToilet product through user feedback, simplifying the solution for market readiness, and helping open up new geographical markets.
TUWien’s insights
User involvement:
The involvement of users, including patients, older adults, and caregivers, was crucial in facilitating the adoption of the iToilet product. This collaboration allowed for feedback and idea generation, which helped refine the product.
Product complexity:
Over time, the system became more complex, with multiple versions and interaction options (e.g., hand controls or smart cards). One challenge was ensuring the software didn’t become overloaded, so only the most essential features were included.
Cost reduction:
Partner Santis Kft played a significant role in developing a more affordable version of the iToilet product. They used feedback from prototypes to improve the product, resulting in a version that was cheaper and more marketable, which could add smart features at a later stage.
Awareness building:
AAL’s biggest contribution was raising awareness about the iToilet solution, particularly in addressing the taboo nature of bathroom-related technology. It helped inform potential users, care institutions, and the general public about the possibilities new technologies offer in this space.
Step-by-step support:
The AAL Programme facilitated a structured approach to product development and commercialization, helping ensure that the solution was recognized by resellers and stakeholders.
myneva’s insights
User-testing:
A major benefit of AAL participation was the user-testing process. The end-user organisation in Vienna tested the prototype, integrating fall sensors with care documentation software. This was crucial for advancing the product, as the organisation wouldn’t have been aware of its benefits without the AAL programme.
Market readiness:
The feedback from the testing process indicated that the product, with its complex features, wasn’t market-ready. As a result, Santis Kft focused on simplifying the product by retaining only key features, making it more affordable and attractive to customers.
Software Integration:
myneva was open to integrating the software into the product, and through the AAL project, they now offer the fall sensor integration with their care centre software for the market.
Geographical Market Expansion:
10. Challenges encountered
Both TUWien and myneva faced challenges related to commercialisation, product maturity, user acceptance, and the lack of a developed market or ecosystem. AAL support helped mitigate some of these issues, particularly through funding, business plan development, awareness-building, and user feedback from field trials.
Challenges Faced by TUWien
Commercialisation difficulties:
- Developing a business plan for commercialisation was challenging, as was finding adequate external funding to bring the AAL solutions to market.
- There was also a challenge in scaling production and the provision of services.
Market and ecosystem barriers:
- The AAL market was not yet mature, making it difficult to gain traction for new products.
- The supporting ecosystem for AAL was not fully developed, which added to the difficulty of market entry.
Financial and investment barriers:
- Differences in financial systems across countries complicated investment and market entry.
- Companies still face high risks when transitioning from a prototype to a market-ready product or service.
How AAL Helped
- AAL support measures, such as AAL2Business, helped address these barriers by providing funding for business plan and model development.
- AAL also raised awareness about AAL technologies in the general public, helping to stimulate demand and recognition in the market.
Challenges faced by myneva
Product and technology maturity:
Developing a business plan for commercialisation was challenging, as was finding adequate external funding to bring the AAL solutions to market.
Dependencies on partners:
Dependencies on consortium partners for key components added complexity to product development and market readiness.
User acceptance:
Ensuring user acceptance of ICT-based solutions, which may be unfamiliar or complex for end-users, was a significant challenge.
How AAL helped:
- Field trials were particularly beneficial, as they helped identify how users responded to the product. This feedback was invaluable for refining the product and planning for future developments.
11. Actions needed to launch the iToilet
The key steps for launching this AAL product include raising market awareness, securing additional investments, and establishing partnerships. The way forward involves gradual development and expansion into the Austrian and German markets. The product aims to benefit a wide range of end-users, with a focus on safety, independence, and flexibility. However, the market is not yet fully ready, so continued efforts to convince investors and customers are essential.
Necessary steps for an AAL product launch based on iToilet
- Raising awareness:
Raising awareness:
The primary challenge is the lack of market maturity. The AAL Programme helped raise awareness about the commercial opportunities and necessities in the market, but further work is needed to convince investors and customers of the product’s value.
Product proof:
Positive feedback from prototypes was received, but there is no concrete proof of customer willingness to pay yet. The product needs further validation in real-world settings.
Funding:
Additional national and international funding schemes are crucial to accelerating the product’s commercialisation process.
- Investments and partnerships:
Additional investments:
More investment is needed, as current market conditions and product maturity are not sufficient for immediate commercialisation.
New partnerships:
Establishing new partnerships, especially with resellers and small companies interested in the product, is key to gaining traction and expanding market reach.
Way forward for iToilet
Step-by-step development:
The primary challenge is the lack of market maturity. The AAL Programme helped raise awareness about the commercial opportunities and necessities in the market, but further work is needed to convince investors and customers of the product’s value.
Market entry
The product will be brought to the Austrian and German markets initially, with discussions about involving small companies that are still interested in the solution.
Raising awareness:
Myneva emphasises the need for a larger project to increase awareness and funding for commercialization, particularly to overcome the backwardness of the European market in comparison to Asian markets.
Expected end-users
Diverse user groups:
Older adults:
Users who may not be familiar with modern technology and prefer simple controls like a hand control rather than a smart card.
Middle-aged or young people in wheelchairs:
Comfortable with technology and prefer using a smartphone to control the toilet, requiring high flexibility in design.
Nurses and care institutions:
Mobile nurses and care institutions are key target groups, particularly for the version with fall detection, which enhances user safety.
Expected Impact on End-Users
- The main benefit for end-users is increased safety, particularly through the integrated fall detection system, which is expected to improve user independence.
- Nurses will also benefit, as the product helps enhance independence for patients living at home, an aspect that many nurses are unaware of.
Expected Paying Customers
Target customer segments:
- Care institutions and private users who need assistive technologies are expected to be paying customers.
- The business plan initially forecasted low sales, as the market was not ready for the full product yet. However, partners are contributing components to keep the costs manageable.
Current Reseller
- The Austrian reseller has established a version of the product that includes the height and tilt adjustability features and fall sensors. This version, although not the full T4Me prototype, is already being marketed and sold.