Unusual Invention - the waterless Toilet **(coming soon)

by Startacus Admin

When Bill Gates speaks, people generally listen. In a world where the developing world struggles to find fresh water to drink, there is a massive irony that we use fresh water to wash away our ‘c&*p’ when we use the toilet.

So when Bill Gates (he’s a bit of a computer Wizard and Billionaire don’t you know) decided that he would pump a little of his own cash into trying to solve this very issue, by inventing a waterless flushing toilet, quite a bit of interest was shown by the global innovation community.

Last month, Gates handed California Institute of Technology based company Caltech the first prize of $100,000 for its’ working model of a solar-powered toilet, where a solar panel produces power to break down faeces and urine into hydrogen gas, which in turn can be used for some power supply usage as well!

Gates also handed out prizes to Britain's Loughborough University and Canada's University of Toronto for their designs and hopes that the science and innovation community can work together to make their creations a viable reality within a few years.

The Bill Gates' Foundation spends around $80 million a year on water, sanitation and hygiene issues so although a $100,000 first prize might seem like a small drop in the ocean, Gates must still be congratulated for confronting this issue heads on.

We reckon there is plenty more to come with this story and will definitely report back when there is more to tell.

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• #inspiring
• #invention

Published on: 25th September 2012