What if a message suddenly appeared on your bathroom mirror to tell you that your most recent bowel movement contained a clue to a possible health problem?

The bathroom will never be the same again. 

It is about to become the epicenter of the health hub of the future, according to Eric Olson, director of design at Karten Design, a Los Angeles-based, research-driven, product innovation company.  

Eric sees the room that we all interact with multiple times a day as the perfectly connected environment to help us improve our wellness and live more fulfilling lives. In this interview, recorded at the USC Center for Body Computing Conference, he explains how the smart toilet could alert us to potentially life-threatening diseases, well before a traditional screening in a doctors office.

He also outlines his vision for a connected floor surface with the ability to predict a person’s likelihood to fall and a mirror equipped with an infrared camera capable of detecting changes in skin composition.  

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The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.