{"id":593848,"date":"2023-01-04T05:49:27","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T11:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/04\/withings-brought-a-new-health-tracker-to-ces-2023-and-it-wants-you-to-pee-on-it\/"},"modified":"2023-01-04T05:49:27","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T11:49:27","slug":"withings-brought-a-new-health-tracker-to-ces-2023-and-it-wants-you-to-pee-on-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/04\/withings-brought-a-new-health-tracker-to-ces-2023-and-it-wants-you-to-pee-on-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Withings brought a new health tracker to CES 2023 \u2014 and it wants you to pee on it"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Finnish brand Withings is moving beyond wearables<\/a> and smart scales<\/a>. At CES 2023, the company is expanding into the at-home urine analysis segment \u2014 and the lineup looks quite impressive.<\/p>\n

Now, the concept of urine analysis is not exactly novel, as it forms the backbone of at-home pregnancy tests.\u00a0Withings, however, is building up on the formula in a major fashion with the U-Scan. This pebble-shaped device dangles by your toilet bowl and scans your urine for a bunch of biomarkers such as hydration and ketone levels.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Filling a key health assessment gap<\/h2>\n
\"Withings
Withings<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The core promise here is that urine contains thousands of metabolites that are indicative of your general health. But unlike heart rate monitoring or general skin care, we don\u2019t actively analyze our urine unless a doctor tells us to do so.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s quite an oversight because we pay so much attention to heart-related activities with readily-available smartwatches, but none tailored for urine, which is a goldmine for health analysis.<\/p>\n

Withings wants to change that with the U-Scan, which performs chemical analysis of urine and shares the results with a connected smartphone app over Wi-Fi. Unlike a fitness wearable like the Apple Watch Series 8<\/a> or Oura Ring<\/a>, the U-Scan can identify different users and accordingly catalog their urine test results.<\/p>\n

I talked to Dr. Arif, a resident at King George Medical University, about the possibilities; he said that the \u201cWithings U-Scan sounds quite promising, and it fills a critical gap in healthcare, especially for folks that need frequent urine testing but don\u2019t have the luxury of visiting a hospital every time for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a>How at-home urine analysis works<\/h2>\n
\"Withings
Withings<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the heart of the puck-shaped \u201cHome Urine Lab\u201d are replaceable cartridges, which are essentially miniaturized kits tasked with studying the chemical composition of urine. Each cartridge is good enough for three months\u2019 worth of urine analysis.<\/p>\n

Right now, Withings has created two kinds of cartridges \u2014 one for period cycle tracking<\/a>, and the other one for general body wellness stats like hydration levels and vitamin C concentration, among others.<\/p>\n

The first one is the U-Scan Cycle Sync. It studies the hormone samples in urine to predict the phases of an individual\u2019s menstrual cycle, determines the ovulation window, and also informs about hydration levels.<\/p>\n

The first two are important because you won\u2019t find any FDA-approved app-based solutions out there. Plus, smartwatches use an entirely different metric for predicting menstrual cycle changes, such as temperature, while the Withings U-Scan goes with the more reliable urine chemical analysis route.<\/p>\n

Withing\u2019s second cartridge is the U-Scan Nutri Balance. It tells you about your body\u2019s water balance, how acidic or alkaline your diet is, ketone levels that are directly linked to body metabolism, and vitamin C levels.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Identifying the pee signature<\/h2>\n

More importantly, the Withings U-Scan is capable of identifying each individual using their \u201cunique urine stream signature,\u201d thanks to a low-energy radar sensor fitted inside the Withings U-Scan. This might sound outlandish, but just like other body identifiers, urine signatures are unique.<\/p>\n

It reads the unique urine jet signature of each person.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thickness of each person\u2019s urethra is different. Plus, as we age, the muscles controlling the urinary movements also lose their strength,\u201d explains Dr. Arif. \u201cAs a result, the intensity of urine discharge for every person is different. In fact, congestion of the urinary tract is indicative of infections and other problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Withings
Withings<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notably, Withings is also working on custom cartridges with healthcare professionals to expand what can be achieved with the U-Scan platform. Two such applications are already in development for addressing renal lithiasis (aka kidney stones,) and another for \u201cmonitoring and ovarian cancer relapse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Notably, research published earlier this month also found that urine can be sampled for multi-cancer early detection (MCED), covering nearly 14 types of cancer. The research paper has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/a> and talks about a promising non-invasive method of detecting cancer that could save a lot of lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe non-invasive nature of the device and the ease of sharing urine analysis data with your doctor remotely is a big step forward,\u201d remarks Dr. Arif. It not only helps with monitoring the current state of your health but also helps with identifying any worrying signs that might evolve into more serious problems down the road, he explains.<\/p>\n

<\/a>U-Scan is also a good advice buddy<\/h2>\n

Another huge advantage is that in addition to test results, Withings U-Scan also offers actionable insights to fix any abnormalities related to water composition, the acid in your diet, and vitamin C in your body systems, among others.<\/p>\n

The companion app, called U-Scan Nutri Balance, will suggest workouts, dietary changes, and even recipes to help normalize metrics like ketone, vitamin C, pH levels, and more.<\/p>\n

\"Withings
Withings<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The device is rechargeable with an average life of three months, the same as the cartridges. It automatically activates when the thermal sensor at the top detects urine and cleans itself with every flush.<\/p>\n

Withings U-Scan is ready for a debut in Europe, but it is currently awaiting FDA clearance before it goes on sale in the U.S. Priced at 500 euros for a kit with the U-Scan reader and a single cartridge of your choice, Withings\u2019 latest offering will hit the shelves in 2023\u2019s second quarter.<\/p>\n

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