Posted on 01/01/2023 7:49:33 AM PST by FarCenter
TUESDAY, Dec. 6, 2022 -- A small toilet-based sound sensor that can tell the difference between peeing, pooping and diarrhea may one day help prevent cholera outbreaks.
"The hope is that this sensor, which is small in footprint and noninvasive in approach, could be deployed to areas where cholera outbreaks are a persistent risk," said researcher Maia Gatlin of the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that can kill within hours if untreated, according to the World Health Organization.
So Gatlin and her team wanted to see if they could identify bowel sounds. They tested the idea in a way that might seem a little stomach-turning: They used audio data of people on the toilet after gathering the sounds from online sources.
Each sound bite was turned into a spectrogram, which captures the sound in an image. Urine creates a consistent tone, the researchers found. Poop may have a singular tone. Diarrhea sounds more random.
The researchers fed the sound images into a machine learning algorithm, which learned to recognize the sound of each bathroom activity. The team then tested the algorithm's performance against data with and without background noises to make sure it was learning correctly.
Besides helping head off cholera outbreaks, the sensor could have other uses as well, Gatlin said.
"The sensor could also be used in disaster zones [where water contamination leads to spread of waterborne pathogens], or even in nursing/hospice care facilities to automatically monitor bowel movements of patients,” she said in a news release from the American Institute of Physics.
“Perhaps someday, our algorithm can be used with existing in-home smart devices to monitor one's own bowel movements and health!" Gatlin added.
Transparent excuse to bug all public restrooms.
We’ll monitor you for your health only , right
“noninvasive”
Might just as well allow big brother into the bathroom. Nothing invasive but that right?
Would it be cheaper and more accurate to just vet any and all freeloading, illegal piñata bashers coming across our wide-open borders?
I read the excerpt and started picturing a remake of that Gene Hackman movie. Since Will Smith is no longer a Hollywood darling, who could they automatically put in the lead role for this project?
So the gov’t wants to monitor your bowel movements now?
“Whose job is it to clean the poop sensor today?”
“I did it last time. It’s yours.”
“No way. I’ve done it three times this week.”
If you don’t know if you have diarrhea then Darwin needs to do his job.
" ... deployed to areas where cholera outbreaks are a persistent risk,"
They PooPolice barge in if they hear a sound they don’t recognize?
Keeps janitors like me employed...sarc
The last bastion of privacy. It’s over.
Will they have sensors on the sidewalks too in SF?
Everyone would be so much safer if they were on camera and sound recorded 24/7 no matter where they are. Paradise realized.
Monitoring Toilet Sounds Could Help Spot Disease
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Sorry,,, D.C. is already terminal.
Insanity.
What happens if it’s a guest who has the runs. Will the homeowner be charged? How can one submit proof? Will one have to sign in before pooping?
Then they’ll use this gadget to monitor how much water is used... and create a toilet fee if used more than three times a day.
Bring back outhouses!
The pretext for crushing freedom and destroying all privacy will be public health.
War crimes trials please.
Just play a recording of various movie scenes. Anyone can think of a few good ones.
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