In an age when AI is present in your toaster, why should your toilet bowl be left behind? Kohler, a prestigious name in the world of sanitaryware and bath fittings, has embraced AI to help you with something that nobody had assumed problems with – gut health. Kohler’s new bathroom gadget is designed to pair with your toilet bowl and help you assess all the data related to your poop, all in the hope of ensuring better gut health.
Called the Dekoda, the gadget is a $599 camera-and-sensor system that attaches directly to the rim of a toilet bowl. The goal? To analyse human waste.
Unveiled as the first product from the company’s new Kohler Health division, the Dekoda utilises optical sensors and ‘AI-driven machine learning algorithms’ to provide personalised insights into a user’s digestive well-being. According to Kohler, the device is capable of tracking key health metrics.
Kohler’s gadget for a Western-style toilet bowl has AI
Kohler says that the Dekoda gadget can you help you keep an eye on your:
Hydration levels: Assessing the fluid content and composition of urine and stool.
Gut health status: Analysing the consistency, shape, and frequency of bowel movements, benchmarked against standardised charts like the Bristol Stool Scale.
Detection of blood: Alerting users to the potential presence of blood in the stool or urine, a key indicator for various health conditions.
The data collected during each session is fed into a companion app (currently available for iPhone only) that translates the raw information into easy-to-understand metrics, such as a daily hydration rating or a gut health score. This allows users to monitor trends over time and receive personalised lifestyle recommendations.
Since it runs on a battery, the Dekoda’s battery module can be detached from the body of the gadget for charging and magnetically re-attached when ready.
But what about privacy?
Introduction of a camera into your toilet bowl — a space traditionally considered the most private — has raised concerns about privacy. Kohler assures that the Dekoda uses “discrete optics” that point straight down, seeing “into your toilet and nowhere else,” and that all resulting data is protected with end-to-end encryption.
Additionally, to ensure that data remains specific to the user, the device includes an optional Bluetooth fingerprint sensor for authentication. This allows multiple family members to use the same device while keeping their health data separate and private from guests.
The price is another factor to consider, since the gadget’s $599 price tag is only the tip of the iceberg. The Dekoda requires an active subscription to Kohler Health to provide its health insights, priced between $70 and $156 per year, depending on whether a single-user or family plan is selected.
The Dekoda will be selling in the US only for now, and Kohler is yet to reveal plans for other markets.
