When someone is feeling sick or unwell, but it is not immediately clear what is wrong, (family) doctors often reach for a blood and/or urine test. Urine, when examined in a lab, can contain clues to conditions such as diabetes and inflammation. So for that, like blood, urine, as mentioned above, must be examined in a lab. What if you could do that examination yourself, at home? Just while peeing.
Well, a Chinese startup, Shanmu, is presenting the S1 at CES in Las Vegas in early January. No, that's not a high-tech toilet, but a sensor-equipped gadget, the size of an iPhone, that can be inserted into any existing toilet bowl. While urinating, the S1 captures urine, which is then analyzed for the presence of substances that may indicate disease.
Results in app within 10 minutes
To analyze the urine, the S1 needs just 1 microliter. The results are known within 10 minutes, according to Shanmu, the developer of this “toilet gadget,” and are displayed in the device's accompanying app. The app also offers the ability to keep a history of urine tests for multiple people, such as in a family.
According to the manufacturer, the S1 can examine urine for the following symptoms or substances, among others:
- Urine sugar, creatinine, urine protein and ketone bodies - to measure for abnormalities in human kidneys and liver, and advise on metabolic levels after strenuous exercise.
- pH, which is used to assess the body's acid-base balance.
- Specific gravity of urine, which is used to assess the body's water balance.
- Nitrite, white blood cells and occult blood in the urine, which are used to assess inflammation.
The device placed in the toilet is waterproof and has a battery that lasts one to two months. After that, it must be recharged. In addition, the S1 has a medical-grade coating to ensure it stays clean and no contaminants can enter the device. The sensors last about six months before needing to be replaced. About the price of the device, the app - whether it requires a subscription - and the replacement parts, Shanmu has not yet announced anything. That will likely happen during the CES presentation.
During a toilet visit, the S1 collects urine which is then analyzed within 10 minutes. (Photo: Shanmu)
Not yet clinically validated
This digital urine tester sounds promising, but of course it has not yet been clinically validated. Still, it is expected to be on the market as early as 2025. Until it is approved for clinical use, the S1 - like fitness trackers, smart scales and smartwatches - can best be seen as a device that allows you to get an indication of possible health problems at home, after which the user himself can decide to contact the doctor.
The makers themselves ultimately see the S1 as a home measurement and monitoring device, for example for people with chronic conditions who would otherwise have to visit the (family) doctor regularly to have their urine checked. It is not that far yet, but judging by the manufacturer's words, this gadget certainly has potential.
U-Scan
The S1 is certainly not the world's first digital urine scanner. Two years ago, also at the CES, the U-Scan was presented. That worked with test strips in combination with various sensors. With these the concentration of the urine or the PH-value could be measured. For women there was a sensor with which they could get information from their urine about their menstrual cycle, for example to determine the moment of ovulation.
