CasanaCasana Performance

A decade of research.

Casana began as Nick Conn's PhD research at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Ten years and thousands of study participants later, every reading rests on published, validated work.

10+
Years of research
5k+
Study participants
15+
Research partners
20+
Patents filed
01

Publications.

JMIR mHealth uHealth2018Peer reviewed
Nontraditional Electrocardiogram and Algorithms for Inconspicuous In-Home Monitoring: Comparative StudyConn NJ, Schwarz KQ, Borkholder DASeat ECG validated against a simultaneous 12-lead clinical ECG in 25 normative and 29 heart-failure subjects. Clinical-grade heart rate, HRV, QRS duration and QTc.Read the paper →
99.82%Sensitivity and PPV across 900,059 beats
54Subjects vs. 12-lead ECG
JMIR mHealth uHealth2019Peer reviewed
In-Home Cardiovascular Monitoring System for Heart Failure: Comparative StudyConn NJ, Schwarz KQ, Borkholder DAECG, BCG and PPG combined in the seat, compared with clinical references including echocardiogram.Read the paper →
2.3%SpO₂ RMS error
1.2 mmHgDiastolic BP mean difference (SD 6.0)
Casana Care2026Preprint, review pending
Estimating Sit-to-Stand Power from a Single Smart Seat Recording: Validation Against the Supervised Chair-Stand Test in 122 AdultsMattis N896 recordings from 124 adults aged 24 to 89, using only the four corner load cells, against a supervised chair-stand reference.Read the paper (PDF) →
0.54Spearman rho vs. chair-stand test (95% CI 0.39–0.67)
20%Median absolute error
Casana Care2026Preprint, review pending
Detecting Elevated Blood Pressure from a Sensor-Embedded Toilet Seat: A Mixture-of-Experts Classifier Evaluated in Home and Clinical SettingsWehbe H1,101 recordings from 96 participants at home and in clinic. Supports use as a passive trigger for a confirmatory cuff reading, not a substitute for it.Read the paper (PDF) →
0.94Clinic specificity at sensitivity 0.75
1,101Recordings from 96 participants
Two of the four papers are preprints under review. All studies were run under IRB-approved protocols with informed consent. The Smart Seat is a wellness device; findings describe trends, not diagnoses.
02

Scientific & Medical Advisory Board.

Milton Packer, MD
Milton Packer, MDBaylor University
Nancy Albert, PhD, CHFN
Nancy Albert, PhD, CHFNCleveland Clinic
Mike Parmacek, MD
Mike Parmacek, MDUPenn
John Flack, MD
John Flack, MDSIU
Jeff Leiden, MD, PhD
Jeff Leiden, MD, PhDVertex
04

Institutions and backers.

Research partners and institutionsAmerican Heart AssociationMass General BrighamUMass Chan Medical SchoolUniversity of Rochester / UR MedicineUF HealthRochester Institute of TechnologyAgeTech Collaborative from AARPLeadingAgeJewish Senior Life
InvestorsGeneral CatalystMatrixMorningsideOutsidersKaiser PermanenteBemis$46M raised (Forbes, July 2026).
05

Patents and press.

US patents applying to the Smart SeatUS 10,292,658US 11,234,651US 12,036,044US 12,089,955Virtual marking notice under 35 U.S.C. § 287(a). International patents also apply.
In the news
Forbes
Jul 20, 2026
This $46 Million Toilet Startup Is Betting Smart Seats Can Be A Billion-Dollar Business
Boston Globe
Jul 21, 2026
Former Vertex chief Jeff Leiden’s latest venture: a smart toilet seat
PR Newswire
Jul 21, 2026
Casana introduces the first smart toilet seat to monitor blood pressure trends and vital signs at home
WHEC News 10
Jul 24, 2026
No charging, no wearing: Rochester’s new smart toilet seat tracks your health just by sitting down
AARP
Feb 2025
Do You Need a High-Tech Toilet?
See what it could catch.