Smart technology in the modern bathroom

Mirrors with bad news. Light shows. Music.

Here’s a technology idea: A mirror with an opinion.

It’s not as if the HiMirror screams when you stagger in first thing in the morning, but it can helpfully point out dark spots and monitor your aging.

Is that smart technology, or don’t-get-smart technology?

In any case, bathrooms are going high tech with voice control, personalization, and new features.

Riding the wave of Alexa-powered gadgets and gizmos, traditional bathroom suppliers like Kohler have developed the Kohler Konnect platform that allows showers, toilets, and mirrors to operate by voice. Set the shower temperature with a word. Order the coffee maker to turn on (you still have to put coffee in it yourself). Dim lights. Brighten lights. Set your mirror for different lighting situations.

Duo AI is developing mirrors (actually computer monitors) that will let you control household appliances from its touch screen and turn on weather, news, and other information.

Shower singers will also appreciate new options for playing music in the bathroom ranging from the inexpensive Moxie showerhead with built-in Bluetooth speaker from Kohler to the $2,998 Stratum-N base unit that comes equipped with a Bluetooth-enabled speaker system installed under sinks and countertops.

Digital shower valves, by Crosswater for example, provide a visual indicator that the water is heating, cooling, or has arrived at the preset temperature. Chromotherapy, meanwhile, can infuse lighting into showerheads, mirrors, and other light fixtures to help provide energy in the morning with bright yellows and oranges along with a calming influence at night with cool blues and greens.

For the environmentally conscious, several bathroom sink and shower fixtures, such as Grohe’s Eurocube E taps, help conserve water and energy by automatically shutting off the water when not in use.