Samsung has completed development of a prototype for a new toilet as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge launched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The prototype is designed for home use and uses heat treatment and bioprocessing to remove pathogens from human waste. As water scarcity is a problem in some places, the toilet treats the water so that it can be used again. According to Samsung, solid waste is dehydrated, dried and turned into ash, while urine is treated through a biological purification process. Although most people in developed countries do not remember much about the toilet except when they go to the bathroom, there are some 3.6 billion people who do not have access to these facilities. About half a million children under the age of five die each year from diarrheal diseases resulting from limited access to clean water and hygiene.

To help countries bring this product into more people’s homes, Samsung plans to offer patent royalty-free licenses related to this project to developing countries. This exchange of information will take place during the commercialization phase. Once the design is streamlined, Samsung and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will find industry partners to help bring the product to market.