Colour‑changing toilet tablet flags possible kidney disease

"It's a toilet cleaning tablet that also could detect early kidney disease signals," said Yidan Xu, a combined Masters graduate from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London.

Called Urify, the device is activated by flushing a toilet which releases a reagent that detects urinary albumin, a marker associated with kidney disease, and provide an early warning to seek medical help.

Xu was inspired to tackle the problem after her father's kidney disease went undiagnosed for 10 years.

"I want to do a design based on how to detect kidney disease as early as possible. I like to help them, alert them in their daily life," Xu said.

Urify has not yet undergone clinical validation or regulatory review, with Xu planning further testing.

Installed discreetly under the toilet rim, the tablet releases a cleansing foam with every flush. The foam reacts to elevated levels of protein in the urine, a potential early indicator of kidney disease, by changing colour from pale yellow to blue. This visual cue serves as a prompt for users to seek medical consultation, thereby facilitating early detection and treatment of kidney-related health issues.

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Ten percent of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease and millions die each year because they do not have access to affordable treatment, according to the U.S. National Kidney Foundation.