Green Means Go: 'Smart Restrooms' Roll Out At LAX's Terminal 4

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A new set of lights at Los Angeles International Airport are signaling the latest in public bathroom technology.

Red and green lights, indicating whether a stall is occupied or available, were unveiled at LAX's Terminal 4 Wednesday. Called Tooshlights, the signals function much like the parking structure lights that increasingly in use across Los Angeles – they glow green when the stall is empty and change to red when someone enters and employs the latch.

"You remember the days when you had to look under the stalls to see the feet, or even slowly open the door? Well with this new technology, you don't have to do that," LAX spokeswoman Jocelyn Steele said.

Allen Klevens, CEO of Modus Systems LLC, the manufacturer of Tooshlights, said he got the idea for the product when he was in Los Angeles attending a concert, and kept having to peek through stalls to see if they were occupied. The next day, inspiration struck when he saw those ubiquitous parking structure lights.

These restrooms will also feature touchscreen kiosks, where customers can notify the custodial staff about any problems they encounter, such as slippery floors or low supplies.

The "smart restrooms" pilot program will roll out first at Terminal 4, where American Airlines is situated, but is expected to spread throughout the airport gradually.

Roughly 1,500 flights land and take off from LAX every day, so airport officials are hoping to make the process of using the bathroom more convenient and efficient for passengers.

"With this smart restroom technology, the goal is the increased availability of restrooms, to make sure our travelers can easily get to available stalls," Steele said.