Automatic toilet tissue dispenser ready

[almaty 19]

ROSWELL, Ga. - Richard Thorne grins as he waves his hand under a toilet paper dispenser in a women's restroom. The machine spits five sheets of tissue into his grasp.

A year in the works, the electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the $1 billion away-from-home toilet paper market. The company believes most people will be satisfied with five sheets — and use 20 percent less toilet paper.

"Most people will take the amount given," says Thorne. Waxing philosophical, he adds, "People generally in life will take what you give them."

Kimberly-Clark turned to focus groups and years of internal research to determine just how much is right.

Americans typically use twice as much toilet paper as Europeans — as much as an arm's length each pull, Thorne says. The company decided the best length is about 20 inches — or precisely five standard toilet paper squares, though the machine can also be adjusted to churn out 16 inches or 24 inches, depending on the demand.

Roswell-based Kimberly-Clark Professional, a unit of Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark Corp., hopes dispensers like the one at the office will one day fit in with the automatic toilets, faucets and paper towel machines that have become a norm in many other office and institutional bathrooms.

"The one part of the room where there's not an automatic option is toilet tissue," says Thorne, director of the company's washroom business.

Call it a final frontier — of cheapness — if you wish.

When one of the two motion sensors is activated, the device's battery-powered motor automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of toilet paper.

The machine isn't completely automated. Each also comes with a suite of "security" features in case the machine malfunctions.

There's an emergency feed button, and a manual feed roller lets the users pull the roll around if the motor breaks down or the four D-size batteries run out. There's also an option for a "rescue roll" on one side of the machine just in case the old-fashioned way is preferred.

"This is probably the most personal experience you can have. We didn't want to get any frustrations," Thorne says. "None of us like to touch things they think someone before them has touched."

The devices cost about $30 apiece for the plastic variety, and $55 if cased in stainless steel.

Sean Nichols, one of the lead marketers for the device, says he's banking on the "coolness, the newness of the unit."

He's sending some to late-night comedians and hoping for TV exposure. He also says he hopes the devices will appeal to clean-freaks, such as Tony Shalhoub's obsessive compulsive germophobe character on the USA Network's "Monk."

But Thorne admits the company won't truly achieve a "touchless" bathroom until it develops a toilet that does the dirty work for you.

"And that," he says, "is going to be interesting."

He slides his hand under the toilet paper one more time for emphasis, and another string of toilet paper shoots out.

"The final frontier," he says with a smile

[Nessa 23]

What if I wanna use only 2 sheets?

[almaty 19]

What if I wanna use only 2 sheets?

whoa...i usually drop 2 sheets on the floor...i need an arm length...don;t want to end up with hep c

[Nessa 23]

Hepatitis C is a virus spread by blood-to-blood contact

[mawilson 2,133]

I use about 100 sheets, so it's no good for me.

[~Nini~ 2]

Well, maybe this'll help with the paper conservation?

[mawilson 2,133]

Well, maybe this'll help with the paper conservation?

Why are we saving toilet paper, again? It's already recycled paper.

Why not go after people who print 1000 pages of useless ####### every day, only

to throw it away 10 seconds later?

[~Nini~ 2]

Why not go after people who print 1000 pages of useless ####### every day, only to throw it away 10 seconds later?

You mean, like the newspapers?

[mawilson 2,133]

Why not go after people who print 1000 pages of useless ####### every day, only to throw it away 10 seconds later?

You mean, like the newspapers?

Good example.

Surely a lot more wasteful than toilet paper.

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

Why not go after people who print 1000 pages of useless ####### every day, only

to throw it away 10 seconds later?

I know exactly what you mean. I think college students are the worst. I've seen students print out tons of paper and just leave them lay for someone else to throw away.

[almaty 19]

Hepatitis C is a virus spread by blood-to-blood contact

i knew that...i meant A

Why not go after people who print 1000 pages of useless ####### every day, only to throw it away 10 seconds later?

You mean, like the newspapers?

newspaper is hillbilly sh!t paper

[Mags 112]

I remember the very first time I used a loo in the USA. It was in a nice restaurant and I walked into the restroom. Did my business and stood up...bloody hell - the toilet made a huge whooshing sound and almost sucked me down. Okay, that trauma over I went to wash my hands; water gushed out and so did the soap. By now I was actually having fun. Kept putting my hands under the tap then pulling them away, putting them back...pulling them away. And the icing on the cake....automatic dryer! W00t!

I think I spent at least 25 minutes in there!

[Mary Lou 681]

I remember the very first time I used a loo in the USA. It was in a nice restaurant and I walked into the restroom. Did my business and stood up...bloody hell - the toilet made a huge whooshing sound and almost sucked me down. Okay, that trauma over I went to wash my hands; water gushed out and so did the soap. By now I was actually having fun. Kept putting my hands under the tap then pulling them away, putting them back...pulling them away. And the icing on the cake....automatic dryer! W00t!

I think I spent at least 25 minutes in there!

I bet your hubby thought you got lost in there lol

[Mags 112]

I remember the very first time I used a loo in the USA. It was in a nice restaurant and I walked into the restroom. Did my business and stood up...bloody hell - the toilet made a huge whooshing sound and almost sucked me down. Okay, that trauma over I went to wash my hands; water gushed out and so did the soap. By now I was actually having fun. Kept putting my hands under the tap then pulling them away, putting them back...pulling them away. And the icing on the cake....automatic dryer! W00t!

I think I spent at least 25 minutes in there!

I bet your hubby thought you got lost in there lol

I think he thought I'd done a runner out the window!

Edited July 11, 2007 by mags

[Jasman0717 9]

Since my adventures in the Philippines where there is rarely ever any TP in the 'comfort room' and the napkins are about the size of a bandaide I have started carrying baby wet wipes. My butt is always clean and smells so nice