Toilet, testing, and monitoring systems
Systems for monitoring metabolites may include a sample collection system and a urinalysis system of or for a toilet. The sample collection system may be automated to collect sample urine from a toilet or toilet area, transport the sample to the urinalysis system, and/or the sample urine for analysis at a later time or after analysis by the urinalysis system. The urinalysis system may be automated by proactively providing test material on which a subject may provide a urine sample. Once the urine sample has been provided the urinalysis system may provide the test material to an analyzer for analysis. Results of the analysis of the test material and sample urine may be provided to a mobile device of the subject and/or a remote server. The urinalysis system may provide a urine sample to a mass spectrometry unit for analysis.
1 . A toilet system comprising:
a toilet, the toilet defining a basin for receiving urine from a subject;
an automated urinalysis system, the automated urinalysis system comprising:
a test material holder configured to expose a test material to a sample of urine from the subject;
a sample collection unit configured to collect a predetermined volume of the sample of urine for exposure to the test material;
an analyzer configured to receive the test material after the test material is exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine;
a controller in communication with the test material holder and the analyzer,
wherein the controller is configured to determine when the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine based on a sensed current,
wherein the controller is configured to automatically cause the test material holder to provide the test material to the analyzer in response to determining the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine, and
wherein the analyzer is configured to perform a colorimetric test on the test material using one or more image capturing devices.
2 . The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the analyzer comprises the one or more image capturing devices and the one or more image capturing devices are configured to image the test material after the test material has been exposed to the sample of urine.
3 . The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the test material comprises one or both of a paper test strip reactive to metabolites in urine and a urinalysis test cup.
4 . The toilet system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensing device configured to sense a temperature of the sample of urine.
5 . The toilet system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a subject sensor configured to sense a subject at or approaching the toilet; and
wherein the test material holder is configured to extend in response to the subject sensor sensing the subject at or approaching the toilet.
6 . The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive an indication the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine and output a control signal to cause the test material holder to provide the test material to the analyzer for testing.
7 . The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output results of the analyzer testing the test material to a remote device.
8 . The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the toilet is a urinal.
9 . An automated urinalysis system comprising:
a test material holder configured to expose a test material to a sample of urine from a subject;
a sample collection unit configured to collect a predetermined volume of the sample of urine for exposure to the test material;
an analyzer configured to receive the test material after the test material is exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine; and
a controller in communication with the test material holder and the analyzer,
wherein the controller is configured to determine when the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine based on a sensed current,
wherein the controller is configured to automatically cause the test material holder to provide the test material to the analyzer in response to determining the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine, and
wherein the analyzer is configured to perform a colorimetric test on the test material using one or more image capturing devices.
10 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , wherein the sample collection unit includes a funnel shaped portion configured to deliver the predetermined volume of the sample of urine to the test material and cause additional urine to overflow the sample collection unit.
11 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a cartridge comprising a plurality of test materials; and
wherein a test material of the plurality of test materials is loaded onto the test material holder.
12 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , wherein the test material holder comprises a conveyor configured to transport the test material from a sample receiving area to an analysis area.
13 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more image capturing devices comprise one or more cameras configured to capture an image of the test material.
14 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS) unit;
a sample flow path in fluid communication with the LCMS unit and the sample collection unit; and
wherein the LCMS unit is configured to withdraw a predetermined amount of sample fluid from the sample flow path and perform an analysis on the predetermined volume of the sample of urine.
15 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pump configured to pump the sample of urine from the sample collection unit through the sample flow path.
16 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a valve system in communication with the sample flow path and configured to control a flow of sample fluid to the LCMS unit.
17 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 9 , wherein the analyzer is configured to perform the colorimetric test on an optical image of the test material captured using the one or more image capturing devices.
18 . The automated urinalysis system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the optical image to be stored in a database.
19 . An automated urinalysis system comprising:
a test material holder configured to expose a test material to a sample of urine from a subject;
a sample collection unit configured to collect a predetermined volume of the sample of urine for exposure to the test material;
an analyzer configured to receive the test material after the test material is exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine; and
a controller in communication with the test material holder and the analyzer,
wherein the controller is configured to determined when the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine based on a sensed current,
wherein the controller is configured to automatically cause the test material holder to provide the test material to the analyzer in response to determining the test material has been exposed to the predetermined volume of the sample of urine, and
wherein the sample collection unit includes a funnel shaped portion configured to deliver the predetermined volume of the sample of urine to the test material and cause additional urine to overflow the sample collection unit.