CES 2021: New tech unveiled at annual showcase


For the second time in about two hours there's news of a fresh development in toilet tech.
Japanese firm Toto has announced a lavatory that checks each user's health every time they make use of it.
The company says the device uses a range of sensors to scan each person's body and its "key outputs" to provide a status update.
In case there's any doubt, the press release makes clear this is a polite reference to poo.
"A wealth of wellness data can be collected from faecal matter," it says.
In addition, readings are taken from users' skin, where it comes into contact with the seat.
An accompanying app promises to help owners track their mental and physical status and recommend lifestyle changes.
Although it remains a concept for the time being, the firm says it intends to start offering an internet-connected version of the appliance "in the next several years".
It may sound amusing, but there's potentially huge benefits in finding a way to track people's health without making them put on a smartwatch or other wearable.
The question is whether such devices could make their way into the workplace.
Some companies already make staff carry out urine tests for illegal drugs, and the Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged the use of proximity sensors in the office to ensure employees stay far enough apart.
Governments have also analysed wastewater to detect signs of local coronavirus outbreaks , albeit by taking samples from city sewage rather than toilets.
And it's not inconceivable that in the future we could be asked to use smart toilets to check for signs of infection - or to help reduce companies' health insurance bills.
(BBC) 

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