- Public toilets can test for levels of a range of things, including calcium and glucose
- Testing of urine can be conducted for under $3
- Results are produced in minutes, but makers say it should be used as reference, not a diagnosis
Not had time to go for a health check recently? A potential solution has just been launched in China that marries health screening with convenience.
High-tech urinals have been installed in public toilets in several cities in China recently that can analyze urine for a variety of health issues for a fee that converts as less than $3.
The urinals, which feature a screen on the top of the urinal, claim to accurately analyze the urine quickly. It tests for such things as levels of vitamin C, calcium, creatinine, glucose, white blood cells and more.
These wonders of technology were highlighted by documentary maker Christian Petersen-Clausen in a thread on X (formerly Twitter), which quickly went viral. Petersen-Clausen, who is based in Shanghai, said that the convenience of the test was “unbeatable”, especially as he hadn’t had a health check in a while.
He added the process was simple to complete. The fee was paid via an app, he followed the instructions on the urinal and the results of the analysis were with him just minutes later. He added that, apart from a lack of calcium, his results were “otherwise unremarkable.”
Petersen-Clausen said that, given the importance of detecting health issues early, these urinals, which appear to be being rolled out across China in places like shopping malls, are a positive development.
However, the machines do point out that the urinals are not medical devices and results shouldn’t form the basis of a diagnosis but used as reference. Basically – if the results show deficiencies etc, seek the advice of a health professional.
But for many people who are time poor, something like this could be useful in flagging issues before they become serious.
