It’s been nearly three years since Withings first showed off U-Scan to a bemused world, and now it’s finally on sale. U-Scan is the company’s at-home urinalysis gizmo which sits in your toilet bowl and tests your first splash of the day. The device runs a tiny sample through a microfluidic to test, depending on what cartridge you use, either your nutritional or kidney health. These results are then sent to the Withings app, letting you track the quality of your urine over time. Your humble narrator holds the dubious honor of being the first reporter to test the U-Scan during its debut, and found the results pretty interesting.
There are two cartridges available at launch, the first dubbed Nutrio, which looks at your body’s response to nutrition. It will look at your urine’s pH, specific gravity, ketones and the presence of vitamin C over time. Those factors can help you understand if your diet is too acidic, how much fluid you’re drinking on a regular basis, if you’re burning fat, and your anti oxidant intake. The company says that Nutri will be of special interest to people taking GLP-1 medication for weight loss to help them monitor changes to their nutrition levels. Calci, meanwhile, will track your urine’s pH, specific gravity and calcium levels, to keep an eye on your risk of developing kidney stones.
Naturally, such a tool will not be the most affordable in the world, and you can expect to pay a hefty price to own one. Pay $379.95 and you’ll be able to get a U-Scan, a single cartridge that will last for three months, and access to Withings+. The options are then split across “Proactive” and “Intensive” Plans, with the former giving you 2-4 analyses per week, while the latter runs near-daily. If you want the closer monitoring, then $449.96 will get you two cartridges and Withings+ access, which will last you the same three month window. As for replacement cartridges, those on the Proactive tier will spend $99.95 every quarter, while those in team Intensive will pay $179.95. As part of signing up for Withings+, you’ll get a free coaching session with a registered dietician available in all 50 states.
