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Alexa is everywhere: Kohler’s smart toilet brings voice assistant into bathrooms

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We’ve all had those moments in the bathroom where we’ve had a pressing question come to mind and been uh, too occupied at the time to get an answer. Well, here’s one way to solve that problem. American manufacturing company Kohler is showing off an all-new toilet at CES 2019 that has support for voice assistants built right into it.

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The Kohler Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet exists in a space somewhere between luxury and excess. According to the company, the toilet has practical features like water efficiency checks that make sure you’re never using more water than necessary. It has convenient features like smart lighting that makes it easy to see your way around the bathroom even in the dead of night — and those lights are interactive, multicolored, and dynamic so they can adjust to the setting.

It even has personalized cleansing functions that make sure the toilet is set to your specifications, including a heated seat and drying functionality.

Then there’s a feature that you probably never thought you’d see in a toilet: Voice control. The Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet has high-quality speakers built right into it, and those speakers come equipped with Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa. If you have a question while you’re sitting on the toilet, just ask Alexa. You can also run your home automation processes while in the bathroom. You can even have Alexa queue up your favorite playlist and watch the toilet’s lights sync up to the beat. Your bathroom can double as your own personal dance club if you so desire.

“Connected technology is driving innovation in the smart home category, but connectivity alone isn’t enough. We believe in leading with design and seamlessly incorporating the right technologies so that our customers can personalize their bathroom experiences to be just right for them,” David Kohler, president and CEO of Kohler, said in a statement.

While the Alexa-compatible toilet is the highlight of the show for Kohler, the company also has a suite of connected products debuting at CES. The Veil Lighted Bathroom Collection connects through the Kohler Konnect app and offers voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant. The company is also rolling out the Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror, a bathroom mirror with Google Assistant support built into it.

The Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2019. You can get it in a white finish for $7,000 or black for $8,000. The Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror will start at $1,249 and can go for as much as $1,624 depending on the size. It’ll gain Google Assistant support in the fourth quarter of 2019.

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AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger
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AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
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