Smart toilets — once a novelty — are emerging as a new front in digestive health monitoring. Major brands Toto and Kohler have introduced toilets and add-on sensors that automatically analyze stool for shape, volume, color and even signs of bleeding — sending results to a smartphone app within seconds.
Gastroenterologists say the potential is real.
Anish Sheth, MD, chief of gastroenterology at Penn Medicine Princeton Health and advisor to smart-toilet startup Toi Labs, believes these devices could detect gut issues long before they become emergencies:
“We can intervene sooner, manage it quicker, and prevent days off work or hospitalization.”
These products could be particularly valuable for:
• chronic GI disease patients who delay seeking help
• older adults at high risk of hidden bleeding or dehydration
• earlier identification of symptoms linked to rising colorectal cancer in younger adults
Still, challenges loom.
Privacy concerns over highly sensitive data — plus price tags ranging from $599 to $3,200 — could slow adoption. And for healthy users, some clinicians warn that daily fecal analytics may be more data than anyone needs.
But for millions quietly struggling with gut disorders, smart toilets may soon help transform the most overlooked daily habit into a powerful early-warning system.