# 522: The Information Is In Poop

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2026-03-06
- Length: 54m
- Episode: 522
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/522

## Summary

Dr. Sonia Grego, founder and CEO of Coprata and lead of Duke University's Smart Toilet Lab, discusses the engineering challenges of monitoring gut health through human waste. She explains how Coprata’s Microbiome Activity Tracker (MAT) kit uses colorimetric analysis via smartphone to assess gut health, while detailing the complex robotics required for their smart toilet prototype to isolate and analyze specimens. Grego also shares lessons from field-testing non-sewered sanitation systems in India and South Africa, highlighting the gap between academic prototypes and real-world deployment.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=7) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [4:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=286) Coprata and the Microbiome Activity Tracker
- [7:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=455) Engineering Challenges of Handling Waste
- [11:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=690) Global Sanitation and Non-Sewered Systems
- [15:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=901) Lessons Learned from Field Testing
- [24:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=1442) Smart Toilet Design and Biochemical Analysis
- [45:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=2756) Startup vs. Academia and Market Validation
- [49:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-03-06-522-the-information-is-in-poop#t=2967) Medical Applications and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Coprata (company)
- Duke University (company)
- Smart Toilet Lab (company)
- Microbiome Activity Tracker (product)
- Athena (product)
- Gates Foundation (company)
- Mount Sinai (company)
- Bristol stool scale (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Timothy Blumberg: Innovative Gut Health Tech, Autonomous Vehicles, Shanghai | Hard Tech Podcast #20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hard-tech-podcast/2024-06-24-timothy-blumberg-innovative-gut-health-tech-autonomous-vehicles-shanghai-hard-te) (Hard Tech Podcast)
- [HIBT Lab! Biobot Analytics: Mariana Matus and Newsha Ghaeli](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-02-09-hibt-lab-biobot-analytics-mariana-matus-and-newsha-ghaeli) (How I Built This)
- [The Internet of Septage (with Akiba)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-08-14-the-internet-of-septage-with-akiba) (The Amp Hour)
- [225. Detecting Disease Using Menstrual Pads](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2025-07-29-225-detecting-disease-using-menstrual-pads) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [114. The Big Deal In (Smart) Diapers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-03-21-114-the-big-deal-in-smart-diapers) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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