Device Called The "Sound Princess" Drowns Out Embarrassing Toilet Noises [View All]

[matcom]

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WHEN Naoko Ito uses a public bathroom, she cringes in embarrassment at the thought that other patrons can hear the sounds coming from her stall.

That's when she turns to the Sound Princess.

Ito, like a rapidly growing number of Japanese women, presses a device installed in public toilets to simulate the sound of water flushing - and mask the cruder noises of nature.

"I usually use the flushing sound when I go to a public bathroom, such as at a department store, because I get a bit self-conscious," said Ito, a 60-year-old waitress.

The device - a curious mix of Japanese bashfulness and modern technology - is spreading rapidly through public buildings and has now become standard equipment for new constructions.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10977443%255E13762,00.html