IoT-Based Smart-Toilet and Mobile App for Passively Quantifying Objective Urinary Biomarkers of Dietary Intake and Personalizing Nutrition Guidance

Bender Tech, Llc, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

Executive Summary According to the American Heart Association (AHA), roughly 46% of the U.S. adult population suffers from high blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension is one of the largest modifiable risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and renal failure and costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $131B annually. Prevalence continues to rise, and a 50% drop-off in medication adherence highlights existing shortfalls in solutions for combatting one of the nation?s largest healthcare burdens. Meanwhile, dietary modifications demonstrate the capability to meet or exceed anti-hypertensive medication endpoints for many individuals with hypertension and resistant hypertension. Although guidelines recommend lifestyle modifications as a first line treatment, little effort is often placed on this intervention. Dietary interventions incorporating self- monitoring (tracking one's own food-related behavior) and feedback on performance significantly increase dietary self-efficacy, a factor that amplifies knowledge-based behavior-change interventions. As demonstrated by several recent controlled trials, tracking urinary sodium as a biomarker for dietary sodium intake helps individuals decrease sodium intake and reduce blood pressure. Yet getting individuals to perform consistent, routine diagnostic evaluations is exceedingly difficult. The most effective route for routine monitoring of health data is through passive testing where the individual?s burden is as nonexistent as possible. Urinalysis is a large market for an array of clinical diagnoses as well as biomarkers of lifestyle management like dietary intake and nutritional status. Meanwhile, each of us urinates daily at home, wasting good personal health data in the process. There is a clinical and commercial opportunity for ubiquitous and routine home urine testing using a smart-toilet. Bender Tech (BT) has developed multiplexed biosensors, hardware, and wireless electronics capable of integrating with a home toilet for routine urinalysis for health and wellness monitoring. SA1: Develop Electrochemical Working Electrode Specific to Sodium: We have identified and tested stable electrochemical ink formulations that have demonstrated reactivity to sodium in physiologically relevant ranges. Sensitivity testing is ongoing. SA2: Characterize and Eliminate Potential Interference and Non-Specific Interactions: Initial testing of potentially interfering ions (potassium, calcium, magnesium) shows ability to differentiate signal output. Interference testing and optimization is ongoing. SA3: Integrate Existing Biosensors and Wireless Potentiostat into Passive, Smart-Toilet Design: Various biosensors have been tested in our hardware without damage or increase in measurement CV. Full system testing will be repeated once our final electrochemical ink formulation and processing techniques have been derived. Michael Bender, CEO, is a cofounder and head of business development and software development. Brian Bender, PhD, is a cofounder and the PI on grant 1-R43-MD014073-01. Dr. Bender is leading the biosensor development work that is central to the current SBIR Phase I grant. Nick Johnson is a serial entrepreneur and BT?s industry expert. Nick has worked in new product development from ideation through to commercialization as the CTO for ShiftWear and Squats and Science within the fitness and wellness industry, serves as the Head of Samford Innovation Week?s Startup & Entrepreneurship Committee, and serves as an IoT and lean startup methodology consultant for both startups and large corporations alike. Each team member has committed to the time requirements of the NIH I-Corps program.