A new device aims to bring health tracking into the bathroom, a part of daily life that has largely remained unmeasured. While many Americans use wearables to track steps, sleep, and heart rate, objective data on digestive patterns has been harder to come by.
Kohler Health has introduced a product called Dekoda, designed to fit on a toilet and passively capture information about bathroom habits. The device tracks patterns related to hydration and digestive health, providing users with data they can review through a connected app.
The interest in gut health has grown in recent years, with people spending billions on probiotics and related products. Research has shown that the digestive system influences immune function, metabolism, and communication between the gut and the brain. However, most people lack reliable information about their own bowel habits.
Healthcare providers often ask about digestive patterns during checkups, but many patients rely on memory and subjective observations, which can be inconsistent. The new device aims to fill that gap by offering objective data without requiring manual logging.
Kohler Health tracks three main areas. For hydration, the device learns what is normal for each user and flags subtle changes. For gut health, it reads markers such as consistency, color, and volume, using algorithms based on the Bristol Stool Chart, a clinical tool used for classification. The device also monitors for the presence of blood, a signal that should not be ignored.
Establishing a personal baseline is a key goal. What is normal for one person may differ for another, so tracking trends over weeks or months can reveal meaningful changes. This can help users connect lifestyle factors like stress, diet, or travel to shifts in their digestive health.
The device works in the background, sending data securely to the Kohler Health App. Users can monitor trends and review their information without extra effort. The company states that the product turns a routine activity into actionable data.
This approach follows a broader trend in health tracking. Wearable devices moved health monitoring from clinical settings to everyday life. Kohler Health is applying a similar concept to digestive health, an area that has received less attention from tracking technology.
For those who want to understand their body’s patterns, the device offers a way to collect information that was previously difficult to obtain. By focusing on objective data rather than memory, users may gain insights into how their daily habits affect their well-being.
