SatLav pinpoints nearest public toilet

First came SatNav, the satellite system that helps guide even the most hapless drivers home - now the "SatLav" has been unveiled, to guide shoppers to the nearest toilet.

The new system uses satellite technology to pinpoint the whereabouts of the anxious user and then sends them details about their nearest convenience.

The technology used in SatLav is similar to that in modern GPS systems. The user simply sends a text message with the word 'toilet' to 80097, and a satellite pinpoints their location.



The satellite picks up the mobile phone's signal and uses it to find the location of the nearest phone mast. From that it establishes the post code in which the user is standing, which it sends to a database containing all of the toilets registered with the scheme.

The database then automatically finds a toilet that matches the postcode and sends a text message back to the user with the information. The entire process takes just seconds.

It is currently only available across 8.5 sq miles of Westminster in London and will cost 25p to use, with Westminster council paying a further nine pence.

With news video.