When More Technology is not Better

I've been spending the past few days in a campus-like area where there are lots of public restrooms. Some are fitted with hands-free automatic faucets, while others have traditional taps with one or two levers to control the water flow. In between these two paradigms of technology is the foot-activated faucet; it seems to strike a perfect balance, combining the touchless hygiene advantage of an automatic with the mechanical simplicity of a manual.

Although I had encountered this type of fixture in a few places before, I'd never seen it so obviously juxtaposed against a modern "high tech" solution to the same problem. This made me wonder, why is such a simple yet effective design not more common? In this informal essay, we'll explore an underappreciated facet of humans' everyday interaction with technology: public faucets, and how we turn them on.

Part 1: Automatics Aren't Good Enough

On a practical level, I understand the appeal of automatic faucets: they offer a simple way to enhance a restroom's cleanliness, and make it more accessible to people with limited hand strength/mobility. However, like all electronic devices, they are bound by the limitations of their medium. I'm sure you have experienced the frustration of bumping your hands on a cold sink as you struggle to find just the right spot to activate the tap, or the water flow stopping when you move an inch too far from the sensor for too long. And even when the system does function as intended, I feel guilty watching water get needlessly wasted as the faucet stays open 5-10 seconds after I've finished washing. Clearly there's room for improvement! You'd think modern technology would've made problems like this a thing of the past, but human interactions with physical objects are incredibly variable and hard to design for, especially when no touch is involved. Now what if the real solution lay not with more tech, but a fundamentally different approach to addressing this issue?

Part 2: The Traditional Way isn't Great Either

Until today, I thought we should just go back to manual faucets everywhere. We've been using them ever since the invention of plumbing, and they lack most of the limitations associated with automatics. However, the main issue with with hand-operated taps is just that - you must touch them to use them. It almost defeats the purpose of handwashing if you have to handle a dirty object directly afterwards. (Unlike with door handles, you can't really use a paper towel to turn off the faucet, as the lever is usually too wet.) This is not only unsanitary, but very annoying to deal with. 

Part 3: Costs and Benefits

The most common reason automatic faucets are implemented is to avoid touching public surfaces with freshly-cleaned hands. However, automatics cost more to install and maintain, and are more susceptible to vandalism. For example, a local restaurant I frequent recently reverted to their old manual tap after the automatic that once replaced it suddenly stopped working. Turns out someone had stolen its power cord! Some establishments cannot afford these additional expenses, or wish to provide a more reliable service, so an alternative solution is needed.

Part 4: The Obvious Option

I believe the foot-activated faucet is the ideal fixture for most public (and domestic) restrooms. It has all the advantages of hands-free operation, without the higher cost, water waste, or unreliability of sensors and electronics. A simple mechanical linkage connects the pedal to the tap, and a hand lever can also be fitted to accommodate the few users who absolutely need it. This system is uncomplicated, dependable, accessible, and affordable, so why haven't more public restrooms implemented it? I wonder why automatics have become so widespread since the late 2000s, when an existing option that accomplishes the same thing has existed far longer. Is it similar to the rivalry between paper towels and air dryers, where companies sponsor pseudoscientific studies to promote the benefits of their own product while trying to discredit their competitors? Or is this yet another case of big tech shoving needlessly sophisticated electronics into places they don't belong?

Part 5: Why does this Matter?

It is widely accepted that simpler solutions are generally better than more complex ones. And as we've seen, the seemingly forgotten technology of foot-activated faucets is just that. Though this is by no means one of the most crucial problems to solve in today's world, I hope my perspective has inspired you to take a closer look at all the small ways we interact with technology on a daily basis, and think about how those subtle, unspoken touch points cumulatively impact our lives.