The Gates Foundation recently hosted a "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge" where teams around the world entered designs to create a more sustainable toilet and sanitation system. Winners received grant money to further develop their projects.
This is a new public health initiative the Gates Foundation has launched in response to the fact that poor sanitation can result in 1.5 million child deaths. A Caltech team won top prize this year for its solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen and electricity.