Withings‘ latest product is a new health-tracking device that goes in the toilet bowl. Smart toilets that can tell if a person is sick aren’t new. Back in 2020, Stanford University developed a “smart toilet” that can detect signs of diseases from urine and stool. In 2022, Israeli health startup, Olive Diagnostics, unveiled a smart toilet seat that can detect biomarkers for a variety of diseases from a user’s urine using a combination of sensors and cloud-based AI tech.
The Withings U-Scan is described as a health lab that sits in a toilet bowl. It performs similarly to Olive Diagnostics’s smart toilet seat, but it is a much smaller device and possibly cheaper too. The pebble-shaped device attaches to the inside of the toilet bowl and detects biomarkers in urine, and monitors other health metrics. Aim is a concern since users have to pee directly on it for it to get a sample of their urine for analysis.
It Uses Replaceable Cartridges
The U-Scan has a reader that detects when a person pees on it. It then takes a sample of the urine. Inside the device is a replaceable analysis cartridge that contains 100 test pods, enough to last for three months. The urine sample is then analyzed using the biomarkers in the cartridge. Withings offers two types of cartridges. The Cycle Sync cartridge is designed for women and can detect biomarkers such as Luteinizing Hormone (LH), which indicates ovulation. It can also detect specific gravity for water balance and pH for protein-vegetable balance.
The other one is the Nutri Balance cartridge which works for both men and women, provided they are above the age of 18 years. This cartridge can detect biomarkers for specific gravity for water balance, pH for protein-vegetable balance, ketones for energy metabolism, and vitamin C levels. Withings also says it is open to partnering with health professionals to design customizable cartridges that can be used to monitor patient health, and expand the functions of U-Scan beyond its current state. There is a companion app where users can check the readings and get suggestions and helpful tips on a daily basis.
The device has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to three months on a single charge. Users should be able to charge it via a USB-C port at about the same time they are replacing the cartridge. Withings says the U-Scan will be priced at €499.95 (~$530) and will come with the choice of a Cycle Sync or Nutri Balance cartridge. Users can choose to subscribe for an automatic refill which costs €29.95 (~$32) per month, or buy standalone cartridges from the company. While those in Europe will be able to purchase U-Scan in Q2 2023, those in the US will have to wait for Withings to receive FDA approval.
Source: Withings
