A Health Lab Powered by a Camera in Your Bathroom
Kohler is taking health tracking to a new level — right into your bathroom. The company has unveiled Dekoda, a smart sensor that attaches to your toilet and tracks your hydration, gut health, and even hemoglobin levels.
Launched under Kohler Health, the device represents the company’s new focus on home-based wellness. Using a spectroscopy sensor and a small downward-facing camera, Dekoda analyzes what’s inside the toilet bowl. It measures hydration levels, monitors bowel movements, and detects blood, all without direct user input.
From routine to real-time health data
The idea behind Dekoda is simple — everyday habits can reveal meaningful health data. The device syncs with an app that converts this data into clear, easy-to-understand insights. Users get daily hydration ratings, track bowel regularity, and receive alerts when blood is detected.
Dekoda can recognize multiple users in a household through a finger authenticator, ensuring each person’s data stays private. Kohler says all information is protected with end-to-end encryption. The device clamps onto the toilet and lasts about a week on a single charge.
Privacy meets precision
Kohler, known for its 150-year legacy in bathroom design, says its move into health tech is about merging wellness and daily living. At the launch, CEO David Kohler said, “Kohler Health isn’t just another app or product. It’s a promise that your home can play a more active role in your well-being.”
While Kohler highlights privacy and convenience, the innovation also raises questions about comfort and boundaries. How much personal health tracking is too much?
A growing trend in smart health tech
Dekoda follows similar innovations seen at CES 2023, where companies like Withings and Vivoo showed their own smart toilet concepts. These devices reflect a growing shift toward passive health monitoring, where data is collected seamlessly in the background of daily life.
Health tech experts suggest that bathrooms may soon become wellness hubs. Smart mirrors, connected scales, and now intelligent toilets could help users catch early signs of dehydration, anemia, or digestive issues — all from home.
The future of health tracking — and privacy
Kohler’s entry into digital health signals how personal wellness is blending with household technology. However, the $599 price tag and data-sharing concerns may influence adoption.
Still, the concept marks an important step in personalized health monitoring. It shows how health data can move from the clinic to the comfort of home — even to places once considered too private.
The question remains: will consumers embrace a sensor that looks into their toilet bowl — or will this be a step too far in the quest for smarter health?
