The $599 Dekoda sensor uses AI to provide insights based on the Bristol Stool Chart
Kohler is venturing into the connected health space with an unexpected new device: the Health Dekoda, a $599 smart camera designed to analyze your stool.
Available for pre-order now and shipping from October 21, the Dekoda is a discreet sensor that clips onto your toilet rim. After you use the toilet, it captures images and uses AI, guided by the Bristol Stool Chart, to evaluate your stool’s shape, texture, and hydration level.
This analysis provides a personal gut health score, which users can track over time in the Kohler Health app. Accessing these insights requires an ongoing subscription, costing $7 per month or $70 per year.
Kohler emphasizes that privacy was a primary concern in the Dekoda’s design. The camera points downward into the bowl, never toward the user, and all captured data remains secure with end-to-end encryption. For multi-user households, an optional wall-mounted remote with a fingerprint scanner (shown above) allows individuals to log in before each ‘session’, ensuring their data remains private.
From a health perspective, the Dekoda aims to provide proactive insights. By tracking consistency and form, it can flag potential irregularities, such as signs of dehydration or even the possible presence of blood, prompting users to seek medical advice if necessary. The app keeps a log of your frequency, stool types, and overall gut health scores, allowing you to monitor trends over time.
The Wareable view
While not a wearable in the traditional Wareable sense, this does represent the expanding frontier of health tracking, pushing into intimate areas of our daily routines to build a more complete picture of health.
It’s not unlike a device we saw at CES 2024, the Withings U-Scan, which is designed for urine analysis.
Whether devices like the Dekoda become essential tools for proactive health management or remain a niche curiosity is yet to be seen. However, Kohler is making a bold play here for the connected bathroom.
