Splash-free urinals: a global solution for sustainability and accessibility
Splash-free urinals for global sustainability and accessibility
A new study in PNAS Nexus proposes a simple redesign of urinals to eliminate splashback, a common hygiene issue that also creates accessibility problems. The design, which uses a curved surface to guide urine flow, could reduce water usage for cleaning, improve sanitation in public restrooms, and make facilities more usable for people with disabilities. The researchers tested various geometries and materials, demonstrating a significant reduction in droplet spread compared to conventional urinals.
The splash-free urinal design not only enhances hygiene but also promotes sustainability by reducing the need for frequent cleaning and water consumption.
- danjc
Worth noting that this study was partially funded by the university of Waterloo
- dguest
Ig nobel prizes were just a few days ago:
https://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2026
Edit: The splash free urinal was the winner for physics!
I once joked that these do more for science than Nobel prizes. Now I don't think it's a joke: "wacky but interesting" awards are more important for the advancement of science than "everyone agrees this these people should be even more famous" awards.
- danw1979
The recent introduction, in the UK at least, of splash-back reducing urinal … mats (?) has basically solved the problem in my opinion. They’re a disposable (but not single use…) plastic freshening insert with loads of short rubber strands, closely packed.
You can pee on one of these mats and the stream almost aerates itself on impact and you get basically no splashback, I guess with a similar mechanism to how an aerating tap produces a stream of water that doesn’t splash off whatever it hits.
- xivzgrev
I remember being annoyed by splash back in sixth grade. I mocked up an alternative design (essentially, a urinal that tilted away from you), and emailed some friends. They never responded, and I never followed up.
Looking back I feel sad - that's the kind of curiosity to nurture in a kid. But peers are rarely the best group, it would've been better to tell my parents or the right kind of teacher. My friends also could've said something: " I don't know what to do about this but you should tell ms blah blah blah", in a serious way not mocking way.
I'm glad someone else has finally looked at this sticky situation
- u1hcw9nx
Design through physics and differential equations.
This paper is Ig® Nobel Physics Prize Winner 2026
- d-e-r-e-k
Global sustainability and accessibility seems a bit grandiose lol. It’s just a urinal after all. That being said, it’s been 4 years since Waterloo first determined this and it’s still unavailable to purchase. I’ve been patiently waiting for one to install in my shop but it seems like it’s not all that important for the globe if it’s still unavailable 4 years later.
- harvie
Sometimes i am using an urinal and i feel like no engineers were involved in the design. Glad to see someone is actually approaching this with proper science.
There is more to it than the splashback tho. Sometimes it seems that the surfaces that already have splashes on them are not angled properly to lead the water to the drain. This seems to create need to have sharp edge/lip rather than round one, which might be tricky to make resilient in porcelain. But the rounded lip certainly allows for droplet flow towards the user rather than the drain hole.
- geekamongus
No amount of engineering can solve the problem that no matter how much you jiggle, you shake, or you dance, the very last drop always falls in your pants.