Las Vegas: Armbands that track how much you move have become popular ways to motivate people to get fit. But how fit are your teeth? Are you lazy about brushing them Never fear: An inventor is on the case.
An electric toothbrush senses how long and how well you brush, and it lets you track your performance on your phone.
The Kolibree toothbrush, demonstrated at the International CES gadget show in Las Vegas this week, senses how it's moved and can send the information to an Android phone or iPhone via a Bluetooth wireless connection.
Virtual dentist: The toothbrush will be able to teach you to brush right (don't forget the insides of the teeth!) and make sure you're brushing long enough, says Thomas Serval, the French inventor.
"It's kind of like having a dentist actually watch your brushing on a day-to-day basis," Serval says.
Fun with hygiene: The toothbrush will also be able to talk to other applications on your phone, so an enterprising developer could, for instance, create a game controlled by your toothbrush. You could score points for chasing monsters among your teeth.
"We try to make it smart but also fun," Serval says.
Inspiration: Serval says he was inspired by his experience as a father. He would come home from work and ask his kids if they had brushed their teeth. They said "yes," but Serval would find their toothbrush heads dry. He decided he needed a brush that really told him how well his children brushed.
Availability: The company says the Kolibree will go on sale this summer, for $99 to $199, depending on features. The US is the first target market.
The Future: Serval says that one day, it'll be possible to replace the brush on the handle with a brushing unit that also has a camera. The camera can examine your cavities and tartar while you brush. Forget selfies - the next adventure in self-expression could be close-up guided tours of people's teeth.
How It Works:
Kolibree's connected toothbrush is said to be the most advanced and comprehensive solution to ensure you stay ahead of the curve. You need to download the free mobile app, connect via Bluetooth and every brushing is recorded. The data about how you brushed automatically synchronises to your smartphone telling you whether you brushed long enough and reached the hard-to-reach but important parts of your teeth and gums.
With the Kolibree connected toothbrush and mobile app, you can take control of your health and teeth with easy-to-understand monitoring and scoring. You can easily share your stats with your dentist and family or choose to keep it private.
Designed for families, the app works with several toothbrushes so the entire family can participate. Kolibree rewards your progress and cheers you on when you are improving, allocating points to kids to encourage them to improve their brushing habits.
Kolibree's smart and connected toothbrush transforms an otherwise boring experience in real-time and offers game-play to keep you motivated. The brushing data will be available via an API to let 3rd party game designers develop new apps and enhance brushing time.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
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