Akihabara News (Tokyo) — Residents of Tokyo may have already noticed the growing proliferation of foot-operated sanitizer stands whereby a ground level pedal is pressed in order to shoot alcoholic spray onto people’s hands as customers enter buildings and shops.
This is a good example of Japan’s often simple and low-tech, but nevertheless effective brand of innovation. In this case, users can have their hands disinfected for Covid-19 pandemic purposes without even touching the spray bottle. It’s another step (one might say) toward a contactless society.
Even the Toyota Motor Company is now getting in on the act, announcing this week that it would begin sales of its own brand of this device. The firm has explained, “The foot-operated sanitizer stand that Toyota is launching at this time was first produced in early April under the initiative of employees at Toyota plants, who wanted to take action and prevent infections among their colleagues, where operation of production lines was unavoidably suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Toyota calls its device the “Shodoku Taishi,” which literally means “sanitizer ambassador” but is clearly a pun on Shotoku Taishi, the semi-legendary prince regent of Japan’s early 7th century history.
The Shodoku Taishi stands almost 1.2 meters in height and weighs about 3.2 kilograms. The recommended price is ¥8,000 (US$78).
“Toyota is committed to contributing to society through manufacturing of high-quality, inexpensive products that provide peace of mind and safety throughout the world,” the company statement concludes.