Slide phone inspired faucet

Could touch-free give way to touch screens in the bathroom? It might sound like a strange mix of water and delicate electronics, not to mention a bit unnecessary, but high tech modern faucet designs could actually be more convenient, environmentally friendly and hygienic than they sound.

Bathroom fixtures are getting more and more sophisticated as technology allows for new and different integrated functions. The Reece Slide Tap, designed by Zeyu Zeng, is a high tech take on one of the most important parts of the bathroom. Sleek and simple, it uses intuitive gestures to activate the water and reduce waste.

touchscreen sliding tap

The tap looks – and works – a bit like a slide-open cell phone. To turn it on, all you have to do is slid the top part toward you. This is especially helpful when your hands are dirty and you just need to rinse them off in a hurry. Simply slide the faucet closed when you are done.

Reece faucet design

The Slide Tap also allows you to customize your water temperature via the touchscreen on top. You can eliminate water waste by pre-setting your temperature so that it is perfect as soon as it comes out of the tap. Don’t know what a good temperature is? You’d probably figure it out after just a single use of this highly customizable hot water faucet, but for most people, it’s around 100 – 105 degrees. No more turning on the faucet and waiting several seconds for it to reach a comfortable temp before washing your hands.

The Reece Slide Tap was named as a finalist in the 2013 Bathroom Innovation Award competition. It remains a concept for now, but if it is ever produced it would be the perfect finishing touch for any space-age bathroom. Would you install it in your home over more standard faucet designs, if you had the opportunity?