A miniaturized monitoring device can include electronic circuitry, housing, and communications protocols. The device can be a robust sensing device that can quantify electrolyte content accurately and transmit continuously from within fecal effluent or urine, or other human bodily fluid and/or solid samples. The device can be fully immersed in the testing sample, which can be in a container, an ostomy bag, or otherwise.

According to one embodiment, a health condition inspection system includes a first light source, first infrared light sensors, and a processor. The first light source irradiates infrared light to a fecal matter of a subject, discharged into a toilet. The first infrared light sensors are arranged inside the toilet and configured to receive the infrared light irradiated from the first light source. The processor is configured to inspect a health condition of the subject based on an inspection data acquired based on a strength of the infrared light received by the first infrared light sensors and output a result of the inspection.

The present invention relates to a test kit comprising a pancreatic elastase 1-specific antibody with a sample collection device and an extraction buffer, which surprisingly has a higher accuracy of determination of the elastase 1 in the feces.

A non-invasive system for sampling gastrointestinal microbiota with their associated environment for discovery, characterization, medical research, diagnostics, and treatment using an ingestible, non-digestible sampling capsule. The capsule device, with ports open for acquiring a sample of gastrointestinal microbiota and content, is placed inside an immediate or delayed release capsule. When the outer capsule dissolves according to its specifications, enteric fluid and content enters the sampling capsule through the ports triggering a hydrophilic stop to release a pulling force to close the ports by enveloping the capsule outer casing over the inner casing, capturing the sample, and holding it sealed until it completes passage through the digestive track, and is recovered from feces for analysis.

A system for analyzing excreta includes at least a portion configured to be embedded in a toilet and to collect at least a portion of excreta, and includes a plurality of rotating chambers assigned uniquely to each user and configured to produce a supernatant from the collected excreta, and wherein the system is configured to analyze excreta from multiple users and associate results with each of the multiple users. A method for analyzing excreta comprises collecting at least a portion of excreta from a toilet using a system that is at least partially embedded in the toilet, generating acoustic waves that solubilize the collected excreta, and analyzing the solubilized collected excreta. A method for analyzing excreta comprises collecting at least a portion of excreta from a toilet using a system that is at least partially embedded in the toilet, and acquiring assay data from the collected excreta utilizing an optical disc reader.

A sample collection device that includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body defining a channel extending from the distal end to the proximal end. The sample collection device includes an opening at the proximal end of the body that extends into the channel of the body. The body includes an adhering portion having a depressed surface relative to an adjacent exterior surface of the body, the adhering portion configured to receive a sample in response to the sample contacting the depressed surface of the adhering portion. The body is manually maneuverable in response to the channel receiving a finger of a user through the opening of the body.

Absorbent articles with biodegradable and/or biocompostable elements are disclosed, wherein the absorbent articles include sensors. The sensors detect and determine variables associated with collected fluids, solids, and gases, including a presence of fluids, solids, and gases, a volume of fluids, solids, and gases, and/or a distribution of fluids, solids, and gases. In one embodiment, the sensors and/or connected computing systems are calibrated to capacities and other properties of elements within the articles, including superabsorbent polymers, and are operable to trigger an alert based on detected or determined conditions.

An in-situ fecal specimen sampling device for stool tests, comprising: a sampling tube of a tube-like structure comprising an bottom with an opening; a sampling structure disposed inside the sampling tube is attached to the bottom of the sampling tube, and is an tube-like structure with a closed top end, an bottom end with opening and an stretchable soft body, which can insert a finger from the opening of the bottom outside the sampling tube and push forward and stretch the closed top end to beyond the sampling tube. The sample provider is able to collect the sample by placing the sampling structure onto the stool or inside the anus through the finger operated sampling structure by himself. All of the process can be finished during defecation process in-situ.

In alternative embodiments, the invention provides compositions, e.g., formulations, used for gastric, gastrointestinal and/or colonic treatments or lavage, e.g., orthostatic lavage, e.g., for inducing the purgation (e.g., cleansing) of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including a colon; and methods for making and using them. In alternative embodiments, compositions and methods of the invention are used for the stabilization, amelioration, treatment and/or prevention of constipation, for the treatment of abdominal pain, particularly non-specific abdominal pain, and diarrhea, including diarrhea caused by a drug side effect, a psychological condition, a disease or a condition such as Crohn's Disease, a poison, a toxin or an infection, e.g., a toxin-mediated traveler's diarrhea, or C. difficile or the pseudo-membranous colitis associated with this infection. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides pharmaceuticals and products (articles) of manufacture for delivering these compositions and formulations to an individual, e.g., a human or an animal. The invention also provides devices for delivering a fecal material to a patient.

A method for preventing obesity related to infection by an adipogenic adenovirus includes obtaining a sample from a person, assaying the sample to determine whether the person has been previously infected with an adipogenic adenovirus, and if the person has not been previously infected, providing the person with at least one sensor positioned to detect when a person's hand approaches a predetermined distance from the person's face. By warning the person of undesired hand-to-face contacts, the person is able to reduce the incidence of obesity related infections. Other embodiments are directed to a kit for preventing obesity caused by infection with an adipogenic adenovirus, such kit including a container for assaying an agent indicating the presence of antibodies to Ad-36, and a sensor positioned on an item selected from the group consisting of one of a hat, a writing instrument, eye glasses, a belt, sunglasses, a bra, a shirt, and a tie.