Kohler's gut-health tracker clips onto the toilet bowl

American bathroom brand Kohler has created Dekoda, a health tracker specifically for the toilet, through its spin-off venture, Kohler Health. Dekoda is designed to be discreet and intuitive, clipping to the side of the toilet bowl to give insights on gut health and hydration levels, and to detect the presence of blood. In the emerging toilet-based health tracker market, it is the first device capable of blood detection, which it does through sensors developed at Kohler Health that identify haemoglobin. The company said the device is particularly useful for older individuals or those with chronic gut illnesses, who need to track their symptoms as part of their disease management programmes. “When we developed Dekoda, our goal was to give people the tools to listen to their bodies, track meaningful results over time, and take charge of their own wellness journey,” said Kohler Health managing director Nora Tophof. “It’s important to realise that the human eye is only capable of seeing so much – and trace amounts of blood or other issues are not always apparent,” she continued. “Subtle biological markers, such as microscopic blood or early signs of dehydration, often go unnoticed.” “Dekoda works quietly behind the scenes to capture those crucial clues, giving people clear, objective data they can use to help shape behaviours or share with their doctor,” Tophof said. People with dementia often forget to drink or lose the feeling of thirst, while people with gut diseases such as Crohn’s usually need to track their daily bowel symptoms. A secondary target market is competitive athletes and fitness enthusiasts, who Kohler says can use the hydration data to make training adjustments. Dekoda is compatible with most toilets. It has a simple flattened capsule shape in gleaming white polycarbonate and attaches to the outside of the rim with an adjustable clamp. On the other side of the clamp, a camera and advanced optical sensors point down into the bowl, using spectroscopy to detect the quantity, colour and consistency of urine and stool. Most of the electronics are contained on the capsule side, along with a magnetic battery that can be removed for charging outside the bathroom. An accompanying fingerprint scanner is designed to be wall-mounted near the toilet so that users can log in and begin their session. To withstand the bathroom environment, the exterior of the device is made of a polycarbonate that is antibacterial and chemical-resistant, while the mechanical components are made of stainless steel. A specially trained algorithm analyses the collected data and insights are viewed in the accompanying Kohler Health app. It automatically tracks bathroom routines and identifies trends, while users can also add information about their meals, medications and exercise to add context, and share insights directly with their doctor when they desire. Users’ data is encrypted as it travels between their devices and Kohler’s systems but decrypted and processed to provide the service. Kohler Health said Dekoda, which was released in October 2025, is helping destigmatise the collection of gut health-related metrics, which individuals could previously only monitor through test strips or stool samples. It is part of a small wave of new devices focused on analysing the body’s fluids, from spit to menstrual blood, as wellness technology expands beyond watch-style heart rate monitors and activity trackers. Read more