Bathroom fixtures manufacturer Kohler has launched Dekoda, a toilet-mounted health tracking device that analyzes waste to provide insights about hydration, gut health, and potential medical issues. The device, priced at $599, represents the company's entry into digital health monitoring and requires an ongoing subscription to access collected data.

Dekoda attaches to the rim of a toilet bowl using an expanding clamp mechanism that requires no tools for installation. The device uses advanced optical sensors and spectroscopy, a technique that observes how light interacts with materials, to analyze what appears in the toilet. The sensors are angled to only view inside the toilet bowl, and Kohler emphasizes that they cannot see anything else in the bathroom.

How the System Works

The device connects to a smartphone app called Kohler Health, which displays information about waste frequency, consistency, and shape. Using machine learning algorithms to analyze the data, the system provides insights about hydration levels and digestive health over time.

One of its key features is detecting the presence of blood in waste, which can indicate serious medical conditions that should be examined by a doctor. The device includes a removable magnetic battery for charging and a wall-mounted fingerprint scanner to identify different household members using the toilet. (Source: macrumors.com)

Privacy and Subscription Costs

Kohler says that the sensors only point downward into the toilet bowl and cannot view other areas. All health data collected by the device is protected with end-to-end encryption, meaning the information is scrambled during transmission so only the user can read it. The optional fingerprint scanner prevents the device from analyzing waste from guests or visitors. (Source: techcrunch.com)

Beyond the initial purchase price, users must pay for a Kohler Health membership to access their data. The subscription costs $6.99 monthly or $70 annually for single users, while a family plan supporting up to five people costs $12.99 monthly or $130 yearly. Kohler notes that Dekoda will not work properly on darker colored toilets where lighting conditions are reduced.

What's Your Opinion?

Would you consider installing a health monitoring device in your toilet, or does the concept raise too many privacy concerns? Do you think the health insights provided justify the combined cost of the device and ongoing subscription? Should health monitoring technology like this require approval from medical regulatory agencies before being sold to consumers?