China’s public restrooms take a leap into the future with the introduction of high-tech urinals that can analyze urine for various health markers. This breakthrough is regarded as a game-changer in personal health management.
Public restrooms in China are evolving from mere convenience facilities to health check centers with the rollout of innovative “health checking” urinals. These state-of-the-art urinals can analyze urine for a variety of health markers, offering an affordable and quick health screening option to the public.
These futuristic urinals have started appearing in public men’s restrooms in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The remarkable feature of these urinals is their ability to quickly and accurately test urine on-site for just 20 yuan, equivalent to about $2.76. This cost-effective health screening is a significant step towards promoting proactive health management among the public.
Christian Petersen-Clausen, a Shanghai-based documentary director, shared his experience with the innovative urinals in a widely circulated thread on social media platform X. He dismissed privacy concerns, emphasizing that the convenience and reassurance of knowing his health status were more important.
According to Petersen-Clausen, the testing process is user-friendly. Once the fee is paid via the popular Chinese app WeChat, the results are available even before the user steps away from the urinal. The urinal machine displays an easy-to-understand explanation in Mandarin, showing a man urinating into the urinal.
Petersen-Clausen described his test results as “otherwise unremarkable,” except for a slight deficiency in Calcium. Upon taking a second test at another health-checking urinal, his Calcium levels showed improvement. This real-time health data monitoring can potentially aid in better health management.
I don't think this shall replace a visit to your doctor but it might very well prompt one.
A cardiologist told me that thanks to Apple Watches he now saw more people before they had heart attacks.
That's kind of what I am hoping for here. pic.twitter.com/VpTOHYa97Y
— Christian Petersen-Clausen (@chris__pc) April 22, 2024
The health-checking urinals can test for a wide range of health markers, including Vitamin C, Creatinine, white blood cells, glucose and more, providing a comprehensive health check.
These high-tech urinals are being installed across China, especially in high-traffic service areas such as shopping malls. The widespread installation signifies the growing importance of early detection of health issues in China’s public health strategy, According to the Bastille Post.
Although the health-checking urinals provide quick and accurate health testing results, they come with a clear disclaimer: “This product is not a medical device, and the results cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis. It is only used as a reference for health management data.” This reminder emphasizes the importance of seeking professional medical advice when necessary.