Not sure what to wear for that high school reunion? Just ask your closet. Wondering how to get rid of that pimple on your chin? Consult the mirror for advice on clear skin.
Japan's leading electronics companies are hard at work trying to make this nation's notoriously cramped houses smarter and more convenient with a high-tech touch.
At its new Tokyo showroom, Matsushita Electric Industrial, maker of the Panasonic brand, is enticing Japan's gadget lovers with two model "houses of tomorrow."
On show are a toilet that analyzes your urine and automatically sends suspicious results to the doctor via the Internet, and a closet that picks out clothes according to weather forecasts and whether you need to impress the boss.
"These are ideas that in a few years, we'll be able in some way to sell," Matsushita spokesman Wilson Solano said. "This is market potential."
The products went on display last week. They aren't even priced yet, and are slated to go to market in 2005 or beyond.
Meager Japanese abodes are infamous for paper-thin walls and tight quarters. Floor space averages only 350 square feet, which is barely half a floor in a typical American house.
But the trend is clear. What they lack in size, some are trying to make up in smarts. Toilets flush by remote control and have motorized seats that adjust to your height. Lights are primed to switch on when someone walks in a room. And the Japanese have been adopting high-speed Internet access much faster than Americans.
Part of Matsushita's push are products that afford extra elbow room.
That includes the all-in-one washer-dryer, especially useful in Japan where the typical washing machine is only half as big as its American counterpart and where most people hang clothes outside.
Matsushita also introduced a kitchen table with a touch-screen computer built into it that doubles as a flat-screen television.
It's not the only company trying to tap cravings for creature comforts.
Sharp Corp. recently unveiled an air conditioner that supposedly kills the flu bug, while Sanyo Electric Co. has a bed sheet that monitors a sleeper's breathing, heart rates and body movements to adjust the room's heat and lighting for a good night's rest.
Back at Matsushita's showroom, some gadgets actually take up more space than their forerunners. There's the oversized refrigerator with a built-in camera that beams pictures to your mobile phone so you can check if you're low on milk while cruising the dairy aisle.
The company also offers an electromagnetic stove- and countertop. Its heating elements won't burn fingers on touch but will warm up pans when covered, while the counter automatically powers a special line of cordless kitchen appliances.
There is also the "laboratory toilet" that tests your urine to measure blood sugar, protein and body fat.
Not to be outdone is the automated closet. Users simply punch in today's weather and preferred clothing style such as casual or formal and let the computer sort out the rest. Between wearings, the wardrobe also treats your garments to a steam cleaning.
And for those in need of a live-in beautician, there's the Matsushita bathroom sink ensemble. Its mirror takes infrared pictures of your hair and skin, keeps the record in its data banks and recommends the treatment to bring out that shine. It also dispenses mineral waters in varying degrees of acidity to best suit your ailment.
The developments are similar to luxuries being dabbled with in the United States but mostly reserved for the privileged few.
Microsoft mogul Bill Gates' multimillion mansion outside Seattle features a computer system that changes music, temperature, lighting and even digital artwork to match visitor preferences as people move from room to room.
Japanese consumers are similarly renowned for being gizmo-crazy, and line up for the latest in everything from mobile phones to digital cameras.
That's just the kind of customer Matsushita is banking on.
"The strength of this company is they know what the consumers want," Solano said. "They want to have it simple where, you can just press a button."
AP