Charmin's new toilet paper robot is just as odd as those bears

This is a Digital Trends story.

Charmin is known for its hilarious commercials, but now the toilet paper company is introducing an entirely new field of bathroom-betterment: Robots. When was the last time you found yourself on the can, only to realize you had no toilet paper available and no one around to bring you any? Thanks to Charmin’s new RollBot, that’s not a problem.

On display at CES 2020, RollBot connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and can be summoned with the tap of a button. It makes use of a balancing mechanism that allows it to stay upright and on the move, even if loaded down with one of Charmin’s Forever Rolls.

But the RollBot isn’t the only inventive item Charmin plans to bring to the field. Running out of toilet paper is one thing, but walking into a bathroom only to be laid flat by an odiferous wall is something everyone is familiar with -- and that no one enjoys. To combat this, Charmin has introduced the SmellSense. This sensor is calibrated to pick up on carbon dioxide emitted from a toot and will display a “Go” or “No Go” status on the sensor. You can find out whether a bathroom is safe for occupancy without using your nose as the testing device.

Now, RollBot and SmellSense both focus on convenience and ease of use, but what about a tool built to enhance the bathroom experience beyond anything you’ve ever dreamed of? Enter the V.I. Pee. Charmin imagines a world where you never miss out on an experience just because you have to answer the call of nature. The V.I. Pee is described as a “premium porta-potty experience.” You sit down and slide the Oculus Rift S VR Helmet over your head so that you can resume your concert, sporting event, or whatever else you were previously doing before you succumbed to biological impulses.

Charmin is demonstrating these products at the Proctor and Gamble LifeLab Booth at CES, but sadly, none of the three will be available for retail sale. On the other hand, Charmin’s creations hint at the future of smart bathrooms. After all, what more do you need than a toilet paper bot?

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