The average person in today’s world is more acutely aware of germs than ever before. This new awareness is beginning to change aspects of our daily lives and is causing us to think more deeply about things once performed by rote; shaking hands has been replaced with fist and elbow bumps, our hand washing routines have become akin to surgeons scrubbing in, and our feet are doing their best imitation of our prehensile cousins’ for things like opening bathroom doors or stalls.

There are some instances, where the old way of doing things is the only way, however. Take elevators for example, up until now you only had two options for pressing the buttons: by hand or by attempting a less than dignified business-attired scissor kick to reach the desired button with your foot. But a third option is now available that forgoes both touching the germ-covered buttons with your hands and the indignity of showing everyone just how far gone your athletic glory days actually are.

MAD Elevator’s Toe-To-Go (T2G) foot-activated call button allows for the activation of hall and car station buttons by, you guessed it, foot. The large, durable buttons sit just inches off the ground making it easy for anyone to activate with a gentle kick. The T2G system allows for easy retrofitting of existing installations and is wired in parallel to existing buttons.

Available in stainless steel or PVD brass finishes with LED illumination in red, green blue, white, or amber, the T2G has a surface-mount option for hall stations and a keypad option for the car operating panel (COP), which allows for the entire elevator ride to be a hands-free experience. The call buttons use a rocker design while the COP option uses an enlarged button design, also mounted just about the floor.

The T2G system was recently installed for the first time ever in a new construction project in Chicago’s Fulton East, a 90,000-sf office and retail building. The project is being described as the first office building to deliver health-focused operating solutions for the post-COVID-19 business environment.