Researchers at Duke University are developing a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can be added to the standard toilet to help analyse patients’ stool and give gastroenterologists the information they need to provide appropriate treatment.
The research was selected for presentation at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2021. The new technology could assist in managing chronic gastrointestinal issues such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The tool can be retrofitted within the pipes of an existing toilet. Once a person has a bowel movement and flushes, the toilet will take an image of the stool within the pipes.
To develop the artificial intelligence image analysis tool, researchers analysed 3,328 unique stool images found online or provided by research participants. All images were reviewed and annotated by gastroenterologists according to the Bristol Stool Scale, a common clinical tool for classifying stool. The prototype has promising feasibility, but it is not yet available to the public.