Waterless toilet, new loom, solar power system honored. San Jose tech awards pick innovations with potential for good

An ergonomic carpet-weaving loom that discourages the use of child labor and an environmentally friendly toilet system that can turn waste into fertilizer were two of the ideas honored Wednesday for using technology to improve the human condition.

"Three billion people, that’s half of the Earth’s population, do not have access to fresh water and sanitation. My mission is to take this to those poor areas," said Brian La Trobe, a South African scientist behind the Enviro Loo’s sanitation system.

He was one of five winners of this year’s Tech Museum Awards, an annual contest that seeks to recognize those who have innovative ideas to help humanity.

Matthew Yi, Chronicle Staff Writer

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