Toilet for Analysis of Urine
An analytical toilet comprising a bowl for receiving excreta from a user, a urine collection chamber for receiving urine from the bowl, a sensor for detecting properties of the urine, a valve adapted to release the captured urine from the urine collection chamber, and a source of flush water to clean the urine collection chamber.
1 . An analytical toilet comprising:
a bowl for receiving excreta from a user;
a urine collection chamber for receiving urine from the bowl;
a sensor for detecting properties of the urine;
a valve adapted to release the captured urine from the urine collection chamber; and
a source of flush water to clean the urine collection chamber.
2 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , wherein the sensor further comprises additional sensors.
3 . The analytical toilet of claim 2 , wherein the sensor and additional sensors measures at least three of the following: the protein, viral, bacterial, illicit drug, pharmaceutical drug, blood, mucous, fat, chyle, leucocyte, epithelial cell, or sugar content in the urine.
4 . The analytical toilet of claim 2 , wherein the sensor and additional sensors measure at least three of the following properties: the specific gravity, resistivity, pH, density, salinity, or osmolality of the urine within the urine collection chamber.
5 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , wherein the sensor spectroscopically or chromatographically measures properties of the urine.
6 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the urine collection chamber is transparent.
7 . The analytical toilet of claim 6 , further comprising an image capturing device positioned to capture images through the transparent portion of the urine collection chamber.
8 . The analytical toilet of claim 7 , wherein the image capturing device is configured to capture images along the vertical axis of the urine.
9 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a load cell to measure the mass of a urine sample.
10 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , wherein the urine collection chamber further comprises a fluid level sensor device to measure the volume of urine added to the urine collection chamber and the rate at which urine is added to the sample collection chamber during a urination event by a user to determine a urination profile.
11 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising an ion detection device, variable light path spectroscopic analysis system, electrodes, or a drawing port.
12 . The analytical toilet of claim 11 , wherein the ion detection device is an ion selective electrode capable of detecting Na + , K + , Ca', Mg 2+ , PO 4 3+ , Cl − , SO 4 2− , C 2 H 3 O 2 − , HCO 3 − , C 5 H 3 N 4 O 3 − , or NH 4 + .
13 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a filter to prevent feces from entering the urine collection chamber.
14 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising an overflow path for urine exceeding the volume of the urine collection chamber.
15 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element to drive off water and concentrate the urine.
16 . The analytical toilet of claim 15 , wherein the heating element is a resistive coil, IR heater, or a hot stage.
17 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a reagent dispensing device to dispense one or more reagents into the urine collection chamber.
18 . The analytical toilet of claim 17 , wherein the reagent dispensing device is a microfluidic, capillary, diaphragm, piston, screw, rotary, or peristaltic dispensing device.
19 . The analytical toilet of claim 17 , wherein the one or more reagents comprises a buffer solution, sulfosalicylic acid, CuSO 4 , Benedict's reagent, sodium nitroprusside, or acetic acid.
20 . The analytical toilet of claim 1 , further comprising a device to insert a dipstick into the urine to detect protein, ketone, blood, nitrite, bilirubin, urobilinogen, glucose, or leukocyte content.