The world’s first smart toilet seat was invented in the United States in 1964 by Arnold Cohen. This innovative seat, controlled by a foot pedal, combined washing and drying functions and was primarily used for medical and elderly care. Initially, it only featured warm water cleansing and drying functions.

Japanese bathroom companies gradually adopted this technology and began manufacturing smart toilet seats. Influenced by Japan’s “toilet god” culture and cleanliness consciousness, they enhanced the product by adding features such as seat heating, warm water cleansing, warm air drying, and sterilization. In 1980, TOTO launched the Washlet, a smart toilet seat that led to the widespread adoption of smart toilets in Japan. By 2021, over 80% of Japanese households had a warm water cleansing toilet seat.

In the early 1990s, Japanese bathroom companies introduced smart toilet products to China. In 1995, domestic manufacturers in China successfully produced the first smart toilet, marking the beginning of smart toilet manufacturing in the country.