Squatlet: A toilet seat that caters to both the sitting and squatting postures of defecation

Abstract

Using the toilet is one of the most basic days to day tasks we do. Using the correct posture while defecating is very important for our long-term health. The sitting posture used in the western toilet seat puts a lot of strain on the rectum. While sitting the puborectalis muscle contracts and choke the rectum, this causes people to strain more while defecating. Straining can lead to other medical problems like constipation, hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Old people are most prone to these kind of problems since 80% of them suffer from musculoskeletal issues (weak muscle joints, ligaments etc.). I conducted a survey including different age groups, 90% of the people used the sitting posture of defecating and 50% suffered from constipation and anal fissures. The survey proved the drawbacks and medical disabilities caused due to the sitting posture in the middle- and upper-class people living in urban areas. The sitting posture is not the correct way of defecating since humans are naturally designed to squat. The sitting posture was adopted in the western world in the l 800's while people in Asia and Africa still use the squatting posture, studies and experiments have proved the medical disadvantages of the sitting posture specially for old people. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing ___. Accessibility Accessibility systems and tools