Picture this: You wake up, sip your coffee, and notice the morning sunlight streaming in. Eventually, you find yourself sitting on the toilet, scrolling through TikTok, and catching up on 300 messages from your friends. Once you’re done, a camera in the toilet takes a picture of your stool, which is then analyzed by AI to assess your gut health. You then check your phone, read the report generated by an app, and glimpse a future where AI is integrated into every aspect of life–even in your bathroom routine.
This is exactly what the startup Throne and its unique camera offer.
Stool. Closely examining your stool can reveal insights into your health. Its consistency, shape, and color reveal whether you’re drinking enough water, consuming enough fiber, experiencing stress, having some kidney issues, or possibly dealing with parasites. In essence, just as a city’s waste can provide clues about the lifestyle of its inhabitants, your stool can tell you a great deal about what’s happening inside your body.
We have much to learn from our poop.
This is the Throne device. | Image: Throne
Introducing a new concept: IAI. While it’s possible to analyze your health through observation, not everyone has the time to track their bowel movements, noting their frequency and how they relate to previous meals.
To help you with this, Throne has introduced a concept it calls “intestinal artificial intelligence.” The company’s proposal is straightforward. A camera placed in the toilet bowl captures images of stool and urine, which are then analyzed to provide insights about your health. According to the startup, “Throne’s artificial intelligence is trained by physicians to help you understand what your waste is trying to tell you about your health.”
The company claims that its AI models have a 98% accuracy rate, but it aims to consider all extreme cases and unique situations. To enhance accuracy, users can flag any analysis they believe is inaccurate. “Our team of physicians manually review anonymized images to classify poop as healthy or unhealthy,” Throne says on its website. This process allows the AI to learn and improve further.
A recording of your digestive patterns. | Image: Throne
How does Throne work? The downward-facing camera is placed on the toilet bowl and “securely captures video during each bathroom visit.” This content is then “analyzed by advanced AI models” that “are specifically trained to categorize and interpret the contents, providing valuable insights into your digestive and hydration status as part of your daily routine.”
Among the available features is the Bristol Stool Scale, which ranks poop based on its shape and consistency. The ideal forms are types three and four. Additionally, the app allows users to track their food intake, medications, supplements, and physical activity to help connect the dots.
A view of the camera installed in the toilet. | Image: Throne
On privacy. Understandably, not everyone is comfortable with the idea of having a camera in the toilet. Throne assures users that the camera only captures images of the contents in the toilet bowl and utilizes image recognition technology to automatically delete any irrelevant images. The information collected is encrypted during transmission using TLS 1.2 or higher, and all content reviewed by humans is anonymized for privacy.
It’s also important to note that the device isn’t activated every time someone uses the toilet. Instead, it detects the user through Bluetooth proximity. Therefore, your guests can use the restroom without any concerns and without interfering with your personal records. Additionally, the device features a light that turns on when it’s actively collecting information.
How much does Throne cost? The device costs $499, but it’s currently available for presale at $299. The first units will begin shipping later this year.
Image | annie pm | Throne
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