Why are “touchless” sink controls and automatic soap dispensers so finicky and unreliable?
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A lot of automatic sinks and such use an infrared proximity detector. Basically it shoots out an infrared beam and waits for something to get close enough to bounce it back. But that means there’s a relatively small threshold where your hands can be to set it off. If they’re in the wrong spot, it may not bounce back properly or even be in the beam.
Ever notice how there’s a sweet spot when using a sink?
Automatic toilets are similar and were the BANE of my childhood. Being small and afraid of loud noises… I was always setting off the toilets by wiggling, thus setting off the proximity sensors.
Usually it’s because there is a smudge or gunk on the sensor which makes it hard to tell if your hand is there.
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I’ve developed a theory that the sensor gets dirty, but the cleaners don’t clean under the faucet. Or, if they try, they set the damn thing off which could be an absolute pain in the ass if they get water in the gloves.
That’s reflective sensors for you, they don’t work much better in industrial settings where the specific setup is much better controlled. It’s just an inherently unreliable type of sensor. Cheap and simple to use though, that’s why you find it in so many places even though it’s just bad at it’s job.
Simple answer: Because the people who pay for them are usually not the ones who have to use them
What others have said about sensors as well, then add that sometimes the spot that activates the sensors is directly where the sink is. So basically the sink set the faucet off all the time. Some of them have adjusters to compensate, but sometimes the sweet spot is in a place you would never put your hands to wash them.
Also a big thing is how they are cleaned. If there’s a smudge or damage from using a harsh cleaner on the sensors screen (it’s eye) it’ll throw the sweet spot off by a lot.
Also they are battery powered. So the batteries could just be weak, or the holders could be worn out from changing batteries often.
I’ve always thought that touchless soap dispensers are pointless from the perspective of hygiene. What’s the thing you do immediately after touching a soap dispenser? Wash your damn hands!
Because they’re stupid fucking gimmicks made by sub-par industrial designers looking to make a name for themselves by creating a need rather than fulfilling one
If you own a bar with single occupancy restrooms, you can use the triggers off the toilet and or urinal and the sink so that if either the toilet or urinal triggers but the sink doesn’t you can illuminate a sign in the hallway that says DIDN’T WASH HANDS.
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