Who knows your health better than the toilet? Stanford University launches a new "smart toilet"

The new opponent of the toilet

Speaking of "high-tech toilets", people often think of a toilet that is not cleaned, and functions such as automatic lid opening and heating toilet seats will also come to mind. Now, a research team led by a professor at Stanford University has launched a "smart toilet" that collects data through a variety of sophisticated sensors and provides health warnings, breaking people's imagination of a "high-tech toilet."

For patients who want to keep track of their own health, or who suffer from prostate cancer,https://www.shineful.com.tw/ma56.htm, kidney failure and other diseases, the smart toilet is an eye-catching invention.

Old concepts combined with new technology

Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, a professor and head of the Department of Radiology at Stanford University, who led the research, said that the concept of the smart toilet can be traced back about 15 years.

He said: "When I mention the idea of ​​(smart toilet), it always arouses people's laughter, because it sounds funny and a little strange."

Speaking of the smart toilet launched by the team, Professor Gambier described: "It's like buying a bidet and installing it on an existing toilet."

Variety of sensors

Indeed, this smart toilet looks like a normal toilet, but after a closer look, you will find that 6 sensors with different functions have been installed to collect the toilet data of the user and determine the health of the user.

For example, the research team installed a urine analysis strip in the toilet to determine the number of white blood cells and protein content in the urine, which are one of the indicators of whether the body is infected, bladder cancer or kidney failure.

Another urine sensor uses algorithms to analyze the "speed, time and total amount" of urination.

Stool sensor

The small camera in the toilet plays the role of stool analysis. After the photo is taken and analyzed by the image learning system, it will be classified according to the Bristol stool scale to determine whether the user has constipation or diarrhea.

Although Professor Tim Spector, an expert on gut microbiology at King’s College London, was not involved in the study, he said: “At present, we know that stool samples may be the best portrayal of health.”

Other sensors include pressure, motion sensors, and fingerprint scanners for flush handles.