Touchless activation of a toilet

A sensor and actuator assembly for causing a toilet to flush, comprising:

• an infrared sensor configured to detect the presence of a user;
• an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of the user;
• and
• an actuator mechanism that activates in response to a signal from the ultrasonic sensor that the ultrasonic sensor has detected the presence of the user, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises:
• a solenoid;
• a plunger rod in the solenoid, the plunger rod being moved by electric current passing through the solenoid;
• and
• a pneumatic tube or a connecting cable, wherein movement of the plunger rod causes air to move in the pneumatic tube or wherein movement of the plunger rod moves the connecting cable, and wherein the movement of air in the pneumatic tube or the movement of the connecting cable causes the toilet to flush.

A method of actuating a device comprising:

• detecting the presence of a user at a far distance using an infrared sensor;
• detecting the presence of the user at a near distance with the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the ultrasonic sensor remains in a sleep mode until awakened by a signal from the infrared sensor after the infrared sensor has first detected the presence of the user at the far distance;
• and
• activating an actuator mechanism in response to the ultrasonic sensor detecting the presence of the user.