The company Withingsspecialized in so-called connected health products, such as smart scales or activity tracking watches, presented at the CES 2023 U-Scan, a device that is installed in the toilet to monitor a series of health parameters by analyzing urine. It then attracted attention, which is quite difficult in the place with the most consumer technology products per square meter on the planet, and now it can be purchased in Spain.
Withings promotes it as ‘the first urine laboratory integrated into the toilet’capable of detecting and collecting urine samples, analyzing them using a system that uses replaceable cartridges and sending the results to the Withings application in which the user receives recommendations to improve their health if necessary.
The company has released two types of U-Scan cartridges for use with the device. U-Scan Nutriowhich can be reserved and whose availability is announced ‘soon’, is focused on improve nutrition measuring four biomarkers in urine. With them, it determines the state of hydration, bioacidity, ketone and vitamin C levels. The information obtained helps optimize the user’s diet.
U-Scan Calciumnow on sale on the Withings website, is focused on kidney health and prevent the development of kidney stones. To do this, it controls calcium levels, bioacidity and hydration status.
At CES 2023, Withings also announced a variant focused on reproductive healthbut this is not yet available. The company was initially awaiting clearance from the US FDA, but now classifies it as a ‘wellness product’, so clearance is no longer necessary, so presumably it won’t take too long.
U-Scan has a thermal sensor which detects urine and allows its movement through a microfluidic circuit inside. The urine sample is injected into a compartment in which there are chemical reagents provided by the installed cartridge, be it Nutrio or Calci, whose reaction is read and interpreted by the optical module of the device.
Withings provides a station with the device U-Scan in which the device is inserted and sanitized. This station is also the charging base.
The price starts from 349.95 euros for version Proactivewhich includes the U-Scana charging and cleaning base, access to the service Withings Plus and a cartridge Nutrio either Calci with 22 tests – enough for up to three months with two weekly measurements. The version intensiveof 429.95 eurosincludes two cartridges and 44 tests. Replacement cartridges, which may be shipped periodically via subscription, cost 99.95 euros each or 179.95 euros the pack of two.