Abstract: We disclose an in-toilet urinalysis system which includes a system for collection urine and for analysis of urine components using aptamer technology. Urine collection system may dispense urine into cuvettes, channels, or other containers that include aptamers. The aptamers may detect target molecules in urine. The aptamers may measure urine analytes, detect excreted drugs or drug metabolites, or disease markers. Upon binding to the target molecule, the aptamers may produce a signal which a sensor in the toilet may detect. In some embodiments, the signal may be electrochemical, fluorescent, or colorimetric. The measurements obtained from analysis of the urine may be used to assess a user's health or diagnose disease. In some embodiments, the measurements are stored in a controller which may transmit the measurements to a healthcare provider for assessment.

Abstract: We disclose a device and method for collecting a urine sample as a user urinates into a toilet. The device further conducts analytical measurements which may include spectral, colorimetric, and chemical assays. The user need only urinate normally into the toilet. A urine collection trap, which includes a vertical slit, may capture a urine sample which has a volume in the microliter range. Pumps may divert the urine from the vertical slit into a conduit that is connected to spectral analysis devices and other devices for analyzing the urine sample. The disclosed device is both convenient and prevents unsanitary urine spills.

Abstract: We disclose a roller shade which may move the roller fabric to position either a light reflecting section or a heat absorbing section of the roller fabric toward a window. The two sections may be on opposite sides of a sheet of roller fabric which is connected to the roller tube at one end. The roller shade may wind the roller fabric around the roller tube then reverse the side of the roller fabric which faces the window. Alternatively, the roller fabric may be a continuous loop of fabric that includes a light reflecting section and connected to a heat absorbing section. The roller shade may move the continuous loop of fabric to position either section toward the window. The roller shade may include sensors, a motor, and a controller. The controller may be programmed to reverse the roller fabric in response to a sensor measurement.

Abstract: We disclose an in-toilet urinalysis system which includes a system for collection urine and for analysis of urine components using aptamer technology. Urine collection system may dispense urine into cuvettes, channels, or other containers that include aptamers. The aptamers may detect target molecules in urine. The aptamers may measure urine analytes, detect excreted drugs or drug metabolites, or disease markers. Upon binding to the target molecule, the aptamers may produce a signal which a sensor in the toilet may detect. In some embodiments, the signal may be electrochemical, fluorescent, or colorimetric. The measurements obtained from analysis of the urine may be used to assess a user's health or diagnose disease. In some embodiments, the measurements are stored in a controller which may transmit the measurements to a healthcare provider for assessment.

Abstract: The medical toilet may include a seat, lid, and bowl as does a traditional toilet. It also includes one or more acoustic transducers. The acoustic transducers may be located on the seat where they may measure bone density in a user's pelvis or femur. The acoustic transducers may be located on the lid or on a belt which wraps around the user. These acoustic transducers may collect data relating to a user's heart, lungs, liver, bowel, or other internal organs. The medical toilet may include a handrail with an acoustic transducer which measures the bone density in the user's wrist, radius, or ulna. A controller associated with the medical toilet may store algorithms for analyzing the data collected by the acoustic transducers. The controller may perform machine learning to improve the analyses and may calculate trends in repeated measurements taken from the same user or a population of users.

Abstract: We disclose a window blind which purifies the surrounding air using electrostatic interactions. The window blind includes slats which may have a strip of positively charged material, a strip of negatively charged material, or both attached to the top of the slat. In some embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to alternating slats. In other embodiments, the positively charged material and the negatively charged material are attached to the top of the same slate with a strip of insulating material positioned between them. The window blind may include an air-moving device which moves air past the slats so that dust particles with either a net positive charge or net negative charge may be attracted to the oppositely charged material on the slat. The air-moving device may be a vacuum or a fan. The positively and negatively charged materials may be removeable for cleaning.

Abstract: A self-cleaning window blind includes a thin layer of photocatalytic material on at least one surface of the slats. The window blind includes an ultraviolet light source which directs ultraviolet light onto the photocatalytic material. Consequently, the window blind is not dependent on available sunlight. The ultraviolet light source is located in either the headrail or the bottom rail of the window blinds. Upon exposure to ultraviolet light, organic material on the slats which may include dust, grease, or microorganisms, is converted to carbon dioxide and water. One or both of the horizontal edges of the slats may include a lip which collects water formed by the photocatalytic reaction. In some embodiments, the slats are slightly convex. This shape may inhibit water from collecting in droplets on the slat and help direct the water towards the lip. Consequently, water spots are not created on the slats.

Abstract: We disclose a medical toilet that comprises one or more medical devices and a control for the metrics they collect. The medical devices may be used to collect metrics relevant to a user's health status. The medical toilet further comprises a conduit through which volatile organic compounds travel from the toilet bowl to the environment outside the toilet. An animal trained to identify the scent of bodily waste collected from a user that is afflicted with a disease perceives the scent of the user's bodily waste traveling through the conduit and performs a defined act upon perceiving the disease scent. The metric collected by the medical device(s) may be used to diagnose the same disease as that which the animal is trained to identify. The diagnosis provided by the animal by way of the conduit acts as a control for the metric collected by the medical device.

Abstract: We disclose a method of tagging nutritional or drug compositions using chemical entities which are known to be safely consumed and which are detectable using known techniques, including near IR spectroscopy. The chemical entities used as tags may be detected in easily obtainable biological samples, including urine and feces. The biological sample may be deposited into a medical toilet which may analyze the biological sample using an analytical device associated with the medical toilet. The tag may be identified and quantified to then identify and quantify the nutritional or drug composition the subject consumed along with the tag. This system may be used to track the source of a food or drug, confirm compliance to a prescribed diet or drug treatment, confirm drug consumption in clinical trials, identify the source of contaminated food, and identify the food substances used to produce food products.

Abstract: We disclose a medical toilet that includes a system for interpreting measurements collected by medical devices on or in the medical toilet and for customizing the measurements to each user. The system may use information about the user to selecting which measurements to perform, select or modify parameters that apply to the measurement techniques, and select follow-up measurements that may be performed based on the first set of measurements. These decisions may be made according to the user's physical, demographic, or medical status information that may be entered into a controller connected to the medical toilet. The controller may apply a set of rules to the measurements and thereby determine a value which provides an estimate of the validity of the measurements and which may be used to make adjustments to subsequent measurements.

Abstract: We disclose a cordless window blind that includes at least one electromagnet within each slat. The slats may be inserted into orifices within rotatable slat mounting members on a vertical guide rail assembly. The orifices may house electrical connections which connect the electromagnets to at least one battery. The electromagnets may have the same polarity such that the electromagnet of one slat attracts the electromagnet of an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may move one slat toward the other slat causing the slats to move vertically along the guide rail assembly and either raise or lower the blinds. Alternatively, electromagnets on only one of two longitudinal edges of the slats may be actuated and attract a metal member on an adjacent slat. The magnetic attraction may cause the slats to tilt and rotate within the slat mounting members thus closing the blinds.

Abstract: We disclose a method of using taggants to assess how and to what extent a drug in a drug composition that a user has consumed has decayed in response to storage conditions and time. The taggants may decay in response to environmental conditions which cause different drugs to lose their efficacy. These environmental conditions may include light, temperature, oxidation, and age. The taggants may be detected in biological samples, including urine and feces. By identifying the taggants, the drug composition and other information relating to the drug may be identified. Additionally, quantification of the different taggants may be used to determine whether the drug in the drug composition has been exposed to environmental conditions which may reduce its efficacy.

Abstract: The bidet system may include multiple seat scales which may float between the toilet bowl rim and the toilet seat. These seat scales may collect measurements which are transmitted to a controller. The controller may include instructions to calculate a user's center of mass based on the measurements and to identify the position of the user's anus based on the center of mass. The controller may then transmit instructions to a bidet wand directing direct the bidet wand to a position which aims a cleansing fluid spray toward the user's anus. A camera which collects images of the user's anal and urogenital region may also be included in the bidet system. The camera may transmit obfuscated images to the controller to identify other areas of the user's anatomy in need of cleansing. The controller may direct the bidet wand to aim a cleansing fluid spray toward these areas.

Abstract: We disclose a cordless window covering that may raise, lower, and tilt a plurality of slats without the use of lift cords. The covering may include an external frame with two vertical sides and a headrail. The covering may also include a plurality of slats, each of which may be connected to an adjacent slat by at least one string on each side and the headrail. This may allow the slats to hang freely when lowered. It may also allow all the slats to tilt when only the top slat has been mechanically tilted by a drive belt. The bottom slat may include a bottom bearing connector which may interact with a drive belt such that it may be raised and lowered when the drive belt rotates. Each slat may be connected to a bearing and a bearing connector that may be slidably connected to a guide channel.

Abstract: The bidet system may include multiple seat scales which may float between the toilet bowl rim and the toilet seat. These seat scales may collect measurements which are transmitted to a controller. The controller may include instructions to calculate a user's center of mass based on the measurements and to identify the position of the user's anus based on the center of mass. The controller may then transmit instructions to a bidet wand directing direct the bidet wand to a position which aims a cleansing fluid spray toward the user's anus. A camera which collects images of the user's anal and urogenital region may also be included in the bidet system. The camera may transmit obfuscated images to the controller to identify other areas of the user's anatomy in need of cleansing. The controller may direct the bidet wand to aim a cleansing fluid spray toward these areas.

Abstract: We disclose a window blind that includes a capacitor within each slat. Each plate of the capacitor may be connected to one of two batteries. At least one switch may be placed between each capacitor plate and its adjoining battery. When one switch is open, another switch may be closed thereby sending current to only one plate at a time. The plate that receives the current is negatively charged and the remaining plate is positively charged. The switch that is open may be changed to reverse the charges of the plates. This charge reversal may be actuated through a series of pull cord gestures from a user. By creating an electrical charge on the plates, dust is pulled from the air according to the net charge of the dust particles. The window blind therefore functions as an air purifier as well as a traditional window blind.

Abstract: A dryer for use with a bidet is disclosed. In one embodiment, a moveable dryer wand emits an air curtain as the dryer wand moves across the bidet bowl beneath the user after cleansing. We further disclose a dryer which produces a second air current which moves air in a different direction than that emitted by the dryer wand and further controls the movement of excess water remaining on a user after cleansing. A dryer that includes moveable dryer wand used in coordination with a moveable bidet wand are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: We disclose a microfabricated device for both extracting and preconcentrating samples for gas chromatography analysis. The device includes a conduit with at least two sections and multiple ports which may be connected to multiple gas chromatography columns. The inner surface of the conduit may be coated with multiple sorbents which bind volatile analytes with different affinities. The sections of the conduit may be divided by a thermal barrier which inhibits heat transfer between sections. Consequently, each section may be independently heated to encourage desorption of volatile analytes. The disclosed device separates and concentrates volatile analytes into different pools according to their chemical and physical properties before they enter a gas chromatography column that is optimized for that pool. The device reduces the amount of heat and time needed to perform gas chromatography analysis as well as avoids the need for purified gas sources typically used for the moving phase.

Abstract: We disclose a system which may be used to analyze data collected from a customized test strip. The customized test strip may include a set of reaction pads which are selected to address the medical needs of a specific user. The system may include a data analysis platform which analyzes the data and proposes a second customized test strip. The second test strip may comprise of a set of reaction pads that the data analysis platform selects for the user based on the analysis of the first customized test strip. The data analysis platform may propose that additional diagnostic metrics be collected from the user to assist in diagnosis. The customized test strips and the additional diagnostic metrics may be within a medical toilet.

Abstract: We disclose a drug tracking system and method of use which may be used to screen a subject's bodily waste in order to assess whether the subject has consumed a drug. The system includes a drug composition which is tagged with at least one artificial sweetener that may be detected in the subject's bodily waste. The subject may consume the tagged drug and a user may obtain a sample of the subject's bodily waste. The bodily waste sample may be analyzed to detect the artificial sweetener or its metabolite. In some embodiments, the result of the analysis of bodily waste may be entered into a database, compared to standards that comprises analyses of a plurality of drug tags, and the identity of the drug tag, and consequently the drug composition, determined.