Our hardware product is an intelligent litter box that combines automatic cleaning with health monitoring, specifically designed to detect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in cats. With the growing pet market and increasing awareness of pet health, this system provides health-conscious cat owners with both everyday convenience and advanced disease monitoring.

An overview of the operational workflow is provided in Figure 1. One of the central feature of our design is the UV-assisted fluorescence detection system embedded at the top of the litter box. When a cat affected by IBD has ingested our MeowTrack platform, its feces contain the fluorescent protein afraGFP. After the cat deposits waste, motion sensors at the edges detect its entry and confirm its departure. Once the box is empty, an automatic safety cover locks to prevent re-entry, and the UV light is activated. Under UV irradiation, afraGFP produces a clear fluorescence signal that differs significantly from normal feces (Figure 2). This signal is captured by the fluorescence sensor and transmitted to our companion software, which alerts the owner of potential health concerns. In addition, the UV system provides sterilization to eliminate microbial contaminants, and together with our safety design, ensures no engineered bacteria are released into the environment.

Beyond health monitoring, the litter box also integrates a reliable self-cleaning mechanism. Following the UV scan, the sieve base elevates to separate waste from clean litter. The waste is automatically collected and sealed into a disposable bag. This dual system, fluorescence-based health monitoring and automated waste management, delivers both medical insight and improved hygiene for pet households.

Figure 1. An illustration of the workflow of the litter box.

Figure 2. Curry feces mimic under UV light. (A) Normal curry feces mimic; (B) Fluorescent curry feces mimic.

To visualize the structural design of our intelligent litter box, we created a preliminary 3D model using Autodesk Maya. The model demonstrates the product’s circular litter basin, the bottom waste compartment, and the top lid housing the UV light system.

Video 1. 3D model of Intelligent Cat Litter Box. Created by Maya.

Complementing the hardware, we developed a web-based prototype to demonstrate the workflow of the companion software platform. The dashboard provides real-time system monitoring and manual control, featuring status indicators such as System Status, Cat Presence, and Current Process. The simulation begins when the user clicks Cat Enter, changing the display to “Cat detected inside.” After clicking Cat Exit, the UV system can be manually activated using the UV Light button, with the status switching to “UV light activated.” Once scanning is complete, users can manually trigger Separate Waste, which initiates the waste removal process, moving the waste toward the designated waste bag. The interface also includes Power Off and Reset System functions to simulate power management and system reinitialization.

Video 2. Demonstration of the Companion Mobile App for the Intelligent Litter Box.

In the final product design, these functions will be integrated into a mobile application. The app not only mirrors the hardware’s real-time status but also issues automatic health alerts when abnormal fluorescence is detected by the sensor. Notifications will be sent directly to the user’s smartphone via in-app red alerts and text messages, ensuring immediate awareness of potential health risks. Additionally, the size of the litter box can be customized to accommodate different cat breeds, improving user adaptability and comfort.