AI-powered toilet that takes pictures of feces?

A research team at Duke University has developed an AI tool installed in a bathroom to examine a patient’s stool sample. According to IFLS, the technology was announced at an event on May 22 (Digestive Disease Week 2021).

It is a technology that takes an image of a sample within the pipe system when a patient has a bowel movement. Normal, soft stool, constipation, bloody stool, anything is possible. Images can be analyzed and data can be used to track and manage chronic gastrointestinal health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

The research team usually has to rely on information voluntarily reported by patients to determine the cause of digestive diseases. However, the patient does not accurately remember the shape and frequency of stool. Using smart cremation technology, we can gather the long-term information needed to more accurately time the diagnosis of chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

The team analyzed 3,328 images collected from participants and online sources. At this point, all images were annotated by the gastroenterologist according to the standard scale used to classify samples in the clinical setting to ensure that all images were correctly classified. All images were then scanned using a deep learning algorithm and individual images were classified using AI. This was quite accurate and was able to correctly classify 85.1% of the samples. Based on these results, there is a possibility that it can be used as a tool to monitor the state of gastrointestinal health.

The researchers found that the technology only installs in the bathroom plumbing, and the patient does not need to do anything else to flush it out. There is no objection to the introduction. Smart toilets can be used to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease recurrence and observe patient response to treatment. It is useful for long-term care facility patients who find it difficult to self-report their condition, and may also help improve the early stage of acute illness. Related information can be found here.