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I'm dehydrated. How do I know this? Withings U-Scan told me this, and it's based on possibly the best source for this information: my own urine.
I know. sheet metal. But also, wow; You can do urinalysis at home in about the time it takes you to go to the bathroom.
That's more or less what we got here, a $379.95 / £319 rechargeable device that does all that in one… er… sitting.
It's not perfect. It may require you to change your toilet habits, it uses replaceable cartridges that will cost you $99.95 / £89.95 every three months and, as promised earlier this year, it can't yet detect different people's pee. Essentially, it's a urinalysis system that can only be activated via the Withings app on your phone.
Also like that. I am impressed.
Withings U-Scan review: design and setup
Withing's U-Scan is a large white puck that you squeeze between your palms to rotate and open so you can install the carousel of measuring tabs. There are a total of 44 of these tiny, chemically sensitive strips in each carousel. Two strips are required for each test, for a total of 22 urine tests. Most people only test once a week. The board and algorithm are in U-Scan, so all analysis is done there.
Turning the device on and off is not easy, but in a way it gives you peace of mind that it is completely waterproof.
Once it's open, set up your app and connect it to the U-Scan via Bluetooth by pressing a button on the inside. It also connects to your home network's WiFi. This process is fairly painless, as is installing the carousel with test tablets. By the way, the app can connect to Apple Health to collect all your relevant health data and share Withings' insights with Apple Health.
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U-Scan also comes with three sizes of toilet clips and will show you which one you should use depending on the style of your toilet. There is also a charging tank that doubles as a bath for washing the device after the first three months of use (the charge is also designed to last for three months). It even comes with gloves so you don't have to touch a device you've peed on in the last three months.
Depending on which carousels you use, U-Scan can test either nutrition or kidney health. In the latter, the system monitors calcium levels, exceeding which can lead to the formation of painful kidney stones.
However, my review unit came with the nutrition carousel, which examines acidity, vitamin C, ketones, and hydrostatus.
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Withings U-Scan: Getting started
Proper placement of the Withings U-Scan in your toilet is crucial, and this is where I learned that if I want to measure my urine, I have to sit down to pee.
You see, the puck and its mounting bracket are placed centered on the front of the toilet; The clip hangs over the front lip.
The smooth back of the U-Scan faces you and when you pee on it, the other side is designed to catch the urine and direct it into a container that draws the liquid in.
Since the system doesn't know when you pee, you first have to open the Withings app and then select Measurement. You then have two minutes to pee.
I went through this process three times before successfully receiving a reading. The first time there was an undetected error and the second time the system accused me of not peeing enough. Fortunately, no test strips were wasted in either case.
Finally I peed long enough to read something. I knew the system was doing its job because there are somewhat noisy motors that enable urine collection and tiny internal laboratory work.
Within a few minutes I had my first read. If you don't see it, you can quickly sync your phone app with the device.
I was pleased to see that my pH or bioacid levels were “on target,” as were my vitamin C and ketone levels. The only thing that didn't look right was my hydro status, which was low. When I opened this reading for details, the app told me: “Your hydration levels are not optimal. Increase your water intake to achieve better balance.”
Withings U-Scan: Verdict
As my wife said to me somewhat sarcastically when I told her about my reading, “Oh, well, I guess you don't need to go to the doctor.”
I'd like to believe so, but this is not an FDA approved device and is not intended as a medical replacement. Instead, it's a wellness product that gives you clues, but not the final word.
Still, it's nice to get some early warning signs about nutritional issues, and yes, I would like to avoid painful kidney stones in my life.
I'm not looking forward to the cleaning process and I think it's a shame that it's not yet useful for all the people who pee in the toilet in my house. Withings told me the feature would be available soon, but didn't give a timeline.
The price isn't particularly high for what it does, but I'm not thrilled about paying another $99 every three months for urine testing. This is the one area that is likely to give many people pause and may relegate this for use in people who really need frequent urinalysis. I'm probably not one of them.
If you don't mind, I'm going to drink a big glass of water.
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