A Masters Thesis by Zhiwen(Kira) Fu

Index

Thesis Focus

This thesis focuses on ergonomic toilet design to improve defecation posture, comfort, and health. When people unconsciously adjust their posture while using a toilet, a question may arise: Why does such a fundamental object, developed over thousands of years, still cause discomfort? How did our sanitation tools evolve into their current form, and how might they change in the future? By examining the historical development, existing design flaws, and potential innovations, this research aims to rethink and optimize the modern toilet for better usability, health benefits, and overall user experience.

Toilets are paradoxes of progress. Despite centuries of refinement, they still fail to align with the body’s natural needs. We shift, adjust, adapt—compensating for a design that never fully considered us. This is more than discomfort; it is a disconnect between function and physiology. The modern toilet is not inevitable. It is a product of habit, convention, and oversight. But what if we rethought it? What if ergonomics, health, and human instinct shaped its evolution? The answer lies not in technology alone, but in reclaiming a design that works with the body, not against it.

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About Me

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Zhiwen(Kira) Fu is a product and industrial designer from China with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from Auburn University and master’s degree in Product of Design from the School of Visual Arts(SVA-POD).She driven by a passion for creating human-centric and inclusive design. she integrates interdisciplinary thinking into her design practice.

**Résumé | Website | LinkedIn**

Acknowledgements

Important Links

Midterm Slide Deck (43 slides)

Midterm Slide Deck (43 slides)

Kira Fu – Medium

Thesis Blog (updated weekly)

Instagram (@kirafudesign)

Thesis Instagram (mostly process)

Frameworks / Mindmaps