Intergalactic Shower Experience

Fans of Star Trek will always remember the sliding doors to the captains bridge which opened and closed with a chirp. Interestingly enough, much of the technology imagined in Star Trek has made it's way into our lives, including the 'Communicator' - see flip phones; Uhurah's earpiece (that whacking great big metal thing she used to interpret alien dialects) - see Bluetooth headsets. But there's one piece of Star Trek technology that hasn't made it's way into our lives and that's the sliding door. But having said that the doors in Star Trek were crude bits of kit, operated by stage hands who would push them in and out as smoothly as they could each time. And that was the trick so long as they could make them move perfectly smoothly, they cold create the illusion that they were real. So smoothness was everything.

By now I would have expected to see sliding doors in every household, everywhere from London to the outer reaches of the Manchester system and beyond, but I don't. Yes you can see them as you enter the local bank, but that's only the big ones in the middle of big cities. No, I expected to see sliding doors appear in council flats and bedsits all over the land.

Now I think about it though, sliding doors have made their way into our homes, but not in the guise of front doors or bedroom doors, but in the form of shower doors.

I know it doesn't seem particularly futuristic but sliding shower doors are no different to the ones found on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Admittedly not all sliding shower doors are equal. There are those which are more akin to sash windows which move at 'Warped' speed - sticking to the frame as you walk them up and down in frustration.

Conversely there are those like the ones from New Era, who's door mechanism opens and closes with pneumatic ease. They've achieved this by using special track wheels which resemble those you find on roller skates - created from a semi-firm jelly like plastic. This makes the sliding action feel effortless but geared so that the door doesn't run away from you. But unlike the Star Trek doors, these ones have a special release mechanism which allows the bottom set of wheels to release from the track for easy cleaning. Ok now I have an image of Mr Spok wearing rubber gloves. Wow.

To add to that, and something the Starship Enterprise must have also, is Easiclean glass. This is a special patented glass coating which causes water droplets to pool together and run off in sheets, minimizing the need to clean it.

And so there you have it. If you want that 'intergalactic feeling' next time you go for a shower, get yourself an enclosure with a sliding shower door.

Kirk out.