AI Meets Urology: Bright Uro Aims to Redefine Bladder Diagnostics

IRVINE, Calif. – April 23, 2026 – Bright Uro, Inc., a company at the forefront of urological innovation, today announced a significant step toward integrating artificial intelligence into bladder diagnostics with the launch of the Glean® Patient Registry. This initiative will collect real-world data from its revolutionary wireless, catheter-free urodynamics system, laying the groundwork for a proprietary AI platform called Urodynamic Intelligence™.

The move signals a major shift in a field of medicine that has long relied on invasive and often uncomfortable diagnostic procedures. For the estimated 80 million Americans suffering from lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), including conditions like overactive bladder and incontinence, the announcement promises a future where diagnosis is not only more accurate but also more dignified.

A New Era for a Decades-Old Test

Urodynamics is the cornerstone of diagnosing issues with how the bladder, sphincters, and urethra store and release urine. For decades, the standard test has involved inserting catheters into the bladder and rectum to measure pressure and flow. While clinically necessary, this method is fraught with challenges. Patients often experience discomfort, pain, and embarrassment, which can prevent them from voiding naturally. This artificial environment can lead to data that doesn't accurately reflect a patient's real-life symptoms, complicating diagnosis and treatment.

Bright Uro’s Glean® Urodynamics System was designed to solve this very problem. As the first and only FDA-cleared wireless, catheter-free system, it utilizes a small, flexible sensor placed inside the bladder that transmits data via Bluetooth. This allows patients to undergo testing without the physical and psychological burden of catheters. The system’s portability means testing can occur in a more natural, ambulatory setting, capturing data that is more representative of true physiologic bladder function.

Early clinical feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. In the MUSE feasibility study, every patient was able to void normally with the device in place, and a majority found the procedure significantly more comfortable than conventional methods. Data showed that patients preferred the Glean system by a two-to-one margin for comfort, a testament to its patient-centric design. By removing the barriers of pain and discomfort, the technology aims to provide clinicians with cleaner, more reliable data that directly correlates with a patient's reported symptoms.

From Data to Diagnosis: The Power of Urodynamic Intelligence™

The launch of the Glean Registry elevates the system from a standalone diagnostic tool to the foundation of a powerful data science ecosystem. By aggregating de-identified patient data and clinician findings from commercial use, Bright Uro is building what it hopes will be the world's largest and highest-quality repository of urodynamic information.

This vast dataset is the fuel for Urodynamic Intelligence™, the company's ambitious AI and machine learning platform. The goal is to train algorithms to recognize complex patterns in bladder function that may be subtle or invisible to the human eye, enhancing the interpretation of test results and providing deeper clinical insights.

“Building Urodynamic Intelligence™ is only possible because Glean delivers clean, consistent signals from proprietary sensing mechanisms and a connected device ecosystem,” said Derek Herrera, Founder and CEO of Bright Uro, in the company’s announcement. “This will allow us to quickly amass the largest repository of high-quality urodynamics data and develop the most impactful AI and ML algorithms in the field. Urodynamic Intelligence™ will help clinicians maximize the value of every test and reveal so much more about true, physiologic bladder function. To say this will change the game is an understatement.”

This initiative aligns with a broader trend across medicine, where AI is increasingly used to augment diagnostic capabilities in fields like radiology and pathology. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been actively developing regulatory frameworks to oversee such AI/ML-based medical devices, acknowledging their potential to improve patient care. By creating a durable, scalable data asset, Bright Uro is positioning itself at the leading edge of this technological transformation in urology.

A Mission Forged in Experience

The driving force behind Bright Uro’s innovation is a mission deeply rooted in personal experience. Founder and CEO Derek Herrera, a former Marine Raider Special Operations Officer, was paralyzed from the chest down during combat in Afghanistan. His subsequent journey navigating the challenges of lower urinary tract dysfunction gave him a firsthand understanding of the shortcomings of existing diagnostic tools and inspired his transition into medical device entrepreneurship.

This lived experience is embedded in the company's DNA, fueling its commitment to developing technology that prioritizes both clinical accuracy and the patient experience. The Glean system itself is based on technology developed in a collaboration between Cleveland Clinic, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Case Western Reserve University, and Parker Hannifin Corporation, for which Bright Uro holds an exclusive license.

“This Registry reflects our commitment to building the most advanced diagnostic devices and data science for the field of urodynamics,” stated Dr. Scott MacDiarmid, Bright Uro’s Chief Medical Officer. “The data we collect will enable us to teach algorithms what previously took years of education and experience. Ultimately, our goal is to use technology to usher in a new era for the field of urodynamics.”

With enrollment into the Glean Registry now actively underway for urology practices using the system, Bright Uro is taking a crucial step toward realizing that vision. By combining a less invasive, more accurate device with the analytical power of artificial intelligence, the company is not just improving a medical test; it is aiming to establish a new standard of care and provide better answers for millions of patients in need.