Development of Robotic Defecation Simulator

Abstract

The processing of human excretion has become a serious problem in two specialized environments – the nursing care of elderly bed-ridden patients and the microgravity space environments as the International Space Station. To deal with such issues, the authors are developing a new type of toilet system, and they feel that a defecation simulator is needed to investigate and test such systems. This paper discusses development of a robotic defecation simulator (defecation robot) that mimics defecation involving the rectum, anal sphincter, puborectalis muscle, abdominal pressure, etc.