Japanese Toilets Now Scan Your Stools for Health Insights

Famous for their innovative products, Japanese toilet makers have introduced new stool analysis technology to their products in a bid to attract health-conscious buyers. Toto Ltd. released two new models of its high-end Neorest series in August, equipped with a sensor module inside the toilet bowl that scans waste using a LED-equipped device to measure shape, volume and color. The first such product designed for home use in Japan, the system classifies stool shape and hardness into seven categories, while volume and color are recorded in three levels. Users can keep track of their stool status on a smartphone app and even receive dietary advice based on analysis of their bowel movements, such as a recommendation to increase vegetable intake. The new product is intended to help users “to turn everyday toilet habits into a gateway to better health,” a company official said. Meanwhile, Panasonic Corp. developed a device named Toirepo for nursing-care facilities, which records the timing, frequency and volume of residents’ excretion with a sensor attached to the toilet. As conventional self-checks can be unpleasant for both facility residents and staff, the new device has been well-received, it said. Japan’s toilet industry is known for having developed a variety of products to meet changing social needs, such as bidet toilets focusing on cleanliness and comfort after western-style lavatories became mainstream in the country, followed by water-saving designs as environmental awareness grew later. “Products have been born out of extremely inquisitive minds,” said Tsutomu Yamada, a market analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ eSmart Securities Co., adding that the industry still has room for further expansion. Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Latest high-tech Japanese toilets can check health via stool analysis”