Brave new world: smart rings, Vitamin C showers and restrooms for rent

WASHINGTON — It’s a brave new world as we prepare to transition into 2016 and enter a reality where smartphones communicate through smart jewelry and when you can bathe in a shower of vitamins, even use an app to rent a pleasant restroom.

Looking for a clean restroom? This one is in D.C.  (Found on AirPNP)
Looking for a clean restroom? This one is in D.C.
(Found on AirPNP)

Have you heard about vitamin C showers? They’re now available for retail sale and offered in some rooms at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“It’s a vitamin C filter that’s on the shower head. It neutralizes chlorine, so it’s supposed to be better for your hair and your skin,” says Sarah Perreault, senior editor of the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The 2016 edition of the almanac is tracking numbers of other trends, including smart jewelry.  

Some jewelry can help you smell good. “It’s programmed to release perfume at certain times of the day,” Perreault says, adding that ladies might like the quiet subtlety of jewelry notifications that allow cellphones to remain stashed.

In the $200 price range there are rings that vibrate or light up with your choice of colors for notifications of your choosing such as texts or phone calls.

Another new advancement harnesses the power of light — using your HVAC system to sanitize your home with ultraviolet light.

UV Light Air Purification Systems claim to reduce bacteria, mold and viruses throughout your house.

And who doesn’t like a clean, sanitized environment? Some people are willing to pay extra to get that in a bathroom when they’re away from the comforts of home.

“People who don’t want to use a public bathroom, they can take out their app, see who in that area is willing to rent out their toilet for a small fee,” Perreault says of the Airpnp smartphone app that informs users of what’s available at what price. “And you can go to that person’s house and use the bathroom.”

A map on the company’s website indicates the service is available in cities from New Orleans to New York, including D.C.  A posting for a bathroom next to McPherson Square on the Orange Line appears to be in a business office. For $100, the service provider says, users have 30 minutes to enjoy the environment, which includes a shower and video games.

Kristi King

Kristi King is a veteran reporter who has been working in the WTOP newsroom since 1990. She covers everything from breaking news to consumer concerns and the latest medical developments.

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