Technical triathlon

Danilo Corciulo, Head of the mechatronics laboratory in Rapperswil-Jona

An increasing number of building owners want to be able to connect toilets, urinals and washbasin taps to a building automation system. The team at the mechatronics laboratory is playing its part in ensuring this customer wish will soon become reality.

The Geberit control electronics for toilet, urinal and tap systems are equipped with a Bluetooth interface. Furthermore, they are also prepared for a wired connection to a higher-level system such as a building automation system (BAS).

Danilo Corciulo checks the temperature flush mode on a shower toilet — Danilo Corciulo, Head of the Mechatronics Laboratory in Rapperswil-Jona, checks the temperature flush mode on a shower toilet.

Networked sanitary appliances

While the Bluetooth interface is already being widely used – for example, to set the amount of water in a urinal flush via smartphone – the cable connection remains unused. But not for much longer. “For months, we have been testing the wired connection between the control electronics on our appliances and a BAS,” explains Danilo Corciulo, Head of the Mechatronics Laboratory in Rapperswil-Jona (CH).

Jörg Naef at a test facility for the ComfortLight control on mirror cabinets — Jörg Naef, an engineer in the mechatronics laboratory, at a test facility for the ComfortLight control on mirror cabinets.

A focus on professional applications

But why connect a washbasin tap or a urinal flush control to a BAS in the first place? “It can be very useful if facility management at an airport or hotel chain knows how often the individual sanitary appliances are used, for example, in order to plan cleaning or maintenance work better,” explains Danilo Corciulo.

Mechatronics – a focus on interfaces

Mechatronics is a discipline that deals with the interaction between mechanics, electronics and IT. The mechatronics laboratory at Geberit headquarters in Rapperswil-Jona has been in place for almost three years. “As an increasing number of sanitary products now contain electrical components, it makes sense for Geberit to have its own in-house expertise in this field,” explains Danilo Corciulo.