Withings presented at CES in Las Vegas U-Scan, a “urine laboratory” to be inserted in the toilet, the result of four years of work that have produced 13 patents.
U-Scan consists of two parts: the reader, which you urinate on, and a replaceable cartridge that is inside. The device is equipped with a thermal sensor to distinguish urine from toilet water and a low-energy radar to locate the person urinating by identifying the movement and distance of the single stream of urine (the device only works with one person per reader).
U-Scan does not require any activation; just urinate normally but on the device instead of directly into the water. When the reader detects that you are urinating, it activates a microfluidic circuit to take a small sample. The rest is then thrown away and the whole thing is “cleaned” when the toilet is flushed. The reader charges via USB-C, and a pair of gloves and a cleaner also come with it.
Withings currently offers two cartridges, one for reproductive health and one for nutrition. The first, Cycle Sync, measures luteinizing hormone (LH), pH levels and hydration levels through urine specific gravity, or concentration. Monitoring LH can help identify the phase of the menstrual cycle and estimate the ovulation window. Withings says pH levels can indicate a diet that is too acidic (not enough vegetables) or basic (not enough protein).
The Nutri Balance cartridge also measures pH and hydration, as well as ketones and vitamin C. Ketones are an acid produced when fats are broken down and can be an indicator of metabolic health. Too many ketones in the blood can trigger ketoacidosis, a condition in which the blood is too acidic.
Once the tests are finished, the device sends the results via Wi-Fi to the Withings app and the cartridge moves on to the next capsule. Each cartridge contains about 100 tests which is enough for about three months. The app provides practical advice to improve your health based on your results.
The cartridges can also detect other biomarkers, such as creatine and albumin. Withings is collaborating with the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris to follow up patients with kidney stones and plans a study with the Instituto Curie to develop a way to monitor recurrence and screening for bladder and ovarian cancer.