System nags workers to wash their hands

Being of a somewhat fastidious nature here at Crave, we've been delighted to see such advances in hand-cleaning systems as touchless faucets for the home and Dyson's "Airblade" hand-drying machine. There's just one minor complication: They work only if people use them.

That's where the "Speechpod" comes in. It's sort of a surrogate mom, always at the ready to nag us to wash our hands when its sensors detect a human in the vicinity, according to the Gadget Blog.

At present it's designated only for medical facilities, which reportedly have ordered nearly 500 Speechpods from its Scottish manufacturer. But we're already scheming to figure out a way to get one for our kids.