A method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument and a shaving instrument

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user is provided. The method includes: collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user; processing the shaving data to generate feedback information; and providing the feedback information to the user.

Description

A METHOD FOR GENERATING FEEDBACK INFORMATION BY A SHAVING INSTRUMENT AND A SHAVING INSTRUMENTTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument and a shaving instrument.BACKGROUND

[0002] Conventional razors or shavers come in various forms to accommodate different shaving preferences and needs. Cartridge razors, featuring multiple blades and a pivoting head for a close and comfortable shave, are popular for their convenience and ease of use. Safety razors, with a single, double-edged blade and a protective guard, offer a traditional wet shaving experience and are favoured by enthusiasts for their precision and control. Additionally, disposable razors provide a cost-effective and hygienic option for occasional or travel use, while electric razors offer the convenience of dry shaving and versatility for both facial and body grooming.

[0003] Therefore, there exists a need to provide an improved shaving instrument and an improved method for enhancing user experience, for example, generating feedback information by a shaving instrument.SUMMARY

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user is provided The method includes: collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user; processing the shaving data to generate feedback information, and providing the feedback information to the user.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a shaving instrument is provided. The shaving instrument includes: one or more sensors, configured to collect shaving data in a shave event associated with a user; and a communication module configured to provide feedback information generated from the shaving data to the user.

[0006] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer program element comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described herein.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer- readable medium comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described herein.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be better understood and readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following written description, by way of example only, and in conjunction with the drawings, in which:FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure,FIG. 3 is flowchart showing a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG. 4 shows a block diagram depicting a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG. 5A shows a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; and FIG. 5B shows a side view of the exemplary shaving instrument of FIG. 5A in operation on skin; andFIG. 6 a block diagram showing an example computing device, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Embodiments described below in the context of a method are analogously valid for the respective element, device, apparatus, or system, and vice versa. Furthermore, it will be understood that the embodiments described below may be combined, for example, a part of one embodiment may be combined with a part of another embodiment, and a part of one embodiment may be combined with a part of another embodiment.

[0010] It should be understood that the singular terms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the word "or" is intended to include "and" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.[0001 1] It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”), and“contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a method or device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more steps or elements possesses those one or more steps or elements, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps or elements. Likewise, a step of a method or an element of a device that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more features possesses those one or more features, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more features. Furthermore, a device or structure that is configured in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.

[0012] Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “substantially”, is not limited to the precise value specified but within tolerances that are acceptable for operation of the embodiment for an application for which it is intended. In some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value.

[0013] The term “exemplary” may be used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration”. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs.

[0014] The terms “at least one” and “one or more” may be understood to include a numerical quantity greater than or equal to one (e.g., one, two, three, four, [...], etc.). The term “a plurality” may be understood to include a numerical quantity greater than or equal to two (e.g., two, three, four, five, [...], etc.). The phrase “at least one of’ with regard to a group of elements may be used herein to mean at least one element from the group consisting of the elements. For example, the phrase “at least one of’ with regard to a group of elements may be used herein to mean a selection of: one of the listed elements, a plurality of one of the listed elements, a plurality of individual listed elements, or a plurality of amultiple of listed elements.

[0015] The term “first”, “second”, “third” detailed herein are used to distinguish one element from another similar element and may not necessarily denote order or relative importance, unless otherwise stated. For example, a first transaction data, a second transaction data may be used to distinguish two transactions based on two different foreign currency exchange.

[0016] As used herein, “the shaving instrument” may refer to a razor or a shaver or other grooming / shaving tool that functions to remove hair from a user’s body, including a manual razor (such as a cartridge razor or safety razor) or an electric razor.

[0017] As used herein, “the shave event” may refer to an act of shaving, typically involving the removal of hair from the body using a razor or a shaver or other grooming / shaving tool. Particularly, it may involve the user moving the grooming / shaving tool over the skin in the region of hair, applying gentle pressure to ensure a close shave. Throughout the shave event, the user may (repeatedly) rinse a razor blade or cutting element of the grooming / shaving tool with water to remove any buildup of shaving cream, hair, or debris and continue shaving.

[0018] The term “data” as used herein may be understood to include information in any suitable analog or digital form, e.g., provided as a file, a portion of a file, a set of files, a signal or stream, a portion of a signal or stream, a set of signals or streams, and the like. Further, the term “data” may also be used to mean a reference to information, e.g., in form of a pointer. The term “data”, however, is not limited to the aforementioned examples and may take various forms and represent any information as understood in the art. Any type of information, as described herein, may be handled for example via one or more processors in a suitable way, e.g. as data.

[0019] The term “shaving data” refers to analog or digital information that is relevant to a shaving event in a format suitable for storage, transmission, and processing by electronic devices. In the context of various embodiments, shaving data may refer to signals captured and / or processed by sensors of a shaving instrument during a shaving event

[0020] As used herein, the term “touch sensor” or “ proximity sensor” may use interchangeably and refer to a sensor that detects when an object or a person comes into contact with them or gets close enough to trigger a response. It may include: capacitive touch sensor, resistive touch sensor, piezoelectric touch sensor, optical touch sensor and any sensor that performs such a function. The choice of sensor may depend on factors such as sensitivity, accuracy, durability, and cost, as well as the specific requirements of the application.

[0021] As used herein, the term “feedback information” may refer to information provided to a user based on his actions or behaviors with the intention of helping the user improve, adjust or continue his current course. In the context of various embodiments, feedback information may be generated based on shaving data collected by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user and be provided to the user to improve his shaving behavior. Particularly, the feedback information may include a recommendation on maintenance of a user's shave behavior, a recommendation on change of a user's shave behavior, a recommendation on change of a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a recommendation on change of a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a recommendation on change of a duration in the shave event, a recommendation on change of pressure of a shave stroke exerted, arecommendation on change of a speed of a shave stroke, a count of hairs shaved, a recommendation on change of a direction a shaving stroke is taken, a recommendation on change of temperature of water used during the shave event, a recommendation on change of a sequence in which shaving strokes are taken, and / or a recommendation on change to a new hair cutting element.

[0022] The term “computing device” may be used herein to mean any suitable device and / or system such as, by way of example and not as a limitation, a personal computer, a laptop, a game console, a mobile phone and the like.

[0023] As used herein, the term “connect / connected / connection” may refer to a wired or wireless communication link formed between electronic devices that enables data transmission.

[0024] The terms “processor” or “controller” as, for example, used herein may be understood as any kind of entity that allows handling data. The data may be handled according to one or more specific functions executed by the processor or controller. Further, a processor or controller as used herein may be understood as any kind of circuit, e g., any kind of analog or digital circuit. A processor or a controller may thus be or include an analog circuit, digital circuit, mixed-signal circuit, logic circuit, processor, microprocessor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), integrated circuit, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc., or any combination thereof. Any other kind of implementation of the respective functions, which will be described below in further detail, may also be understood as a processor, controller, or logic circuit. It is understood that any two (or more) of the processors, controllers, or logic circuits detailed herein may be realized as a single entity with equivalent functionality or the like, and conversely that any single processor, controller, or logic circuit detailed herein may be realized as two (or more) separate entities with equivalent functionality or the like.

[0025] The term “memory” detailed herein may be understood to include any suitabl e type of memory or memory device, e.g., a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), a flash memory, etc.

[0026] Various techniques may be described herein in the general context of software, hardware elements, or program modules. Generally, such modules include routines, programs, objects, elements, components, data structures, and so forth that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The terms “module,” “functionality.” and "component as used herein generally represent software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. The features of the techniques described herein are platform independent, meaning that thetechniques may be implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms having a variety of processors.

[0027] Unless specifically stated otherwise, and as apparent from the following, it will be appreciated that throughout the present specification, description or discussions utilizing terms such as “processing”, “collecting”, “generating”, “providing”, “obtaining” or the like, refer to the actions and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical quantities within the computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system or other information storage, transmission or display devices.

[0028] Various embodiments of what is described here seek to provide a method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user. The present method may include collecting shaving data (e.g. an image of a shaving part of the user) by the shaving instrument (e g. an image sensor (e.g. an infrared camera) included in the shaving instrument) in the shave event associated with the user, processing (e.g. by an artificial intelligence model) the shaving data (e.g. an image of a shaving part of the user) to generate the feedback information (e.g. a count of hairs shaved in the shave event) and providing the feedback information (e.g. a count of hairs shaved in the shave event) to the user. The artificial intelligence (Al) model may be trained by a training dataset including labelled images (e.g. labelled hair or non-hair region in the images) to obtain a count of hairs shaved in the shave event by a counting algorithm. The counting algorithm may be configured to identify hair follicles from the labelled images, a number of hairs in each follicle and a count of hairs shown in the labelled images. The Al model may be stored in a computing device (e.g. as an application in a mobile) wirelessly connected with the shaving instrument or in a charging dock of the shaving instrument wirelessly connected with the sensor of the shaving instrument.

[0029] Tn various embodiments, the present shaving instrument with integration of sensors may presents opportunities for enhancing the user experience by providing valuable feedback information. Sensors like proximity sensors, cameras, and force sensors may offer some insights into blade attrition and shaving technique. Sensors that track shaving strokes, gauge blade dulling, and offer boundary indicators may offer users a deeper understanding of their shaving behavior and techniques, empowering them to make adjustments for a more effective and comfortable shave. By leveraging such sensors to provide meaningful feedback information, the present shaving instrument may enhance the overall efficacy of the product and contribute to increased user satisfaction and continued product usage. By providing morecomprehensive feedback information based on the shaving data, the present shaving method and shaving instrument may facilitate an improved shave.

[0030] The following examples pertain to various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0031] Example l is method for generating feedback information by a shaving instru ent in a shave event associated with a user, including: collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user; processing the shaving data to generate feedback information; and providing the feedback information to the user.

[0032] In Example 2, the subject matter of Example 1 may optionally include detecting that the shave event begins by a touch sensor or a proximity sensor of the shaving instrument; and / or detecting that the shave event ends by a touch sensor or a proximity sensor of the shaving instrument.

[0033] In Example 3, the subject matter of Example 1 or Example 2 may optionally include that the shaving data comprises a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event, a duration of the shave event, a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted, a speed of a shaving stroke, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user.

[0034] In Example 4, the subject matter of Example 3 may optionally include that the shaving data are collected by one or more sensors of the shaving instrument comprising: a touch or proximity sensor configured to detect touch of the shaving instrument on skin of the user; a position tracking sensor configured to determine the quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, the length of a shaving stroke in the shave event and / or the distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event; and an image sensor configured to capture images of the skin of the user.

[0035] In Example 5, the subject matter of Example 4 may optionally include that the shaving instrument comprises a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument, the first edge being opposite to the second edge, a cutting element of the shaving instrument disposed between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the shaving data comprises a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors

[0036] In Example 6, the subject matter of any of Examples 3 to 5 may optionally include that when the shaving data comprises an image of a shaving part of the user, the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information comprises processing the image of theshaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument

[0037] In Example 7, the subject matter of Example 6 may optionally include that the Al model is trained by: preprocessing a training dataset of labelled images of patterns and characteristics of hairs; feeding the training dataset of labelled images to the Al model to learn the patterns and characteristics of hairs from; extracting features associated with hair follicles from the training dataset of labelled images; and obtaining a count of hairs using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features.

[0038] In Example 8, the subject matter of Example 7 may optionally include that the training of the Al model further comprises evaluating the trained Al model by a test dataset of labelled images.

[0039] In Example 9, the subject matter of Example 6 may optionally include that the processing of the image of the shaving part of the user to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument by the trained Al model comprises preprocessing the image of the shaving part of the user; removing an overlapped region in the image of the shaving part of the user with respect to a further image of the shaving part of the user; extracting features associated with hair follicles from the image of the shaving part of the user; and feeding the extracted features to the trained Al model to obtain the count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features.

[0040] In Example 10, the subject matter of Example 9 may optionally include that the preprocessing of the image of the shaving part of the user comprises: performing noise reduction, image enhancement, and normalization to ensure consistent lighting and contrast of the image of the shaving part of the user.

[0041] In Example 11, the subject matter of Example 9 or Example 10 may optionally include that the extracted features comprise texture, color, shape, and other visual attributes associated with the hair follicles.

[0042] In Example 12, the subject matter of any of Examples 9 to 11 may optionally include that the counting algorithm comprises classifying each pixel in the image as either hair or non-hair (background) based on the extracted features.

[0043] In Example 13, the subject matter of any of Examples 1 to 11 may optionally include that the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information comprises: transmitting the shaving data to an application installed in a computing device with which the shaving instrument is connected or a charging dock of the shaving instrument; and processing the shaving data to generate feedback information by the application installed in the computingdevice with which the shaving instrument is connected or by the charging dock of the shaving instrument, respectively.

[0044] Example 14 is a shaving instrument comprising: one or more sensors, configured to collect shaving data in a shave event associated with a user; and a communication module configured to provide feedback information generated from the shaving data to the user.

[0045] In Example 15, the subject matter of Example 14 may optionally include that the one or more sensors comprise: a navigation sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor, a touch or proximity sensor, a displacement sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, an Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or a camera.

[0046] In Example 16, the subject matter of Example 14 or Example 15 may optionally include a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument, the first edge being opposite to the second edge, a cutting element of the shaving instrument disposed between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the shaving data comprises a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors.

[0047] In Example 17, the subject matter of any of Examples 14 to 16 may optionally include that the shaving data comprises an image of a shaving part of the user, the feedback information is generated by processing the image of the shaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model.

[0048] In Example 18, the subject matter of any of Examples 14 to 17 may optionally include a charging dock, wherein the charging dock is configured to receive the shaving data collected by the one or more sensors and process the shaving data to generate the feedback information

[0049] Example 19 is a computer program element comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of Examples 1 to 13.

[0050] Example 20 is a computer-readable medium comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of Examples 1 to 13.

[0051] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a method 100 for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0052] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the method 100 may include collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user (at step 102); processing the shaving data to generate feedback information (at step 104); and providing the feedback information to the user (at step 106).

[0053] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving data may include a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event, a duration of the shave event, a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted, a speed of a shaving stroke, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user. In some embodiments, the shaving data may include a type of shaving stroke taken, a direction a shaving stroke is taken (e.g. in the direction of hair growth), a location on a user's body where a shave stroke is taken, a temperature of the water used during the shave event, a time of day when the shave is taken, a total contact time between the shaving instrument and the user, a frequency that the user shaves, a sequence in which shaving strokes are taken, a shave stroke map, a count of upward strokes taken, a count of downward strokes taken, a count of the strokes taken with the hair grain, a count of the strokes taken against the hair grain, a count of the number of shaving instrument rinses, and / or a usage status of the shaving instrument (e g. a usage status of a cutting element (e.g. a blade) thereof).

[0054] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving instrument may include a touch or proximity sensor configured to detect touch of the shaving instrument on skin of the user; a position tracking sensor configured to determine the quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, the length of a shaving stroke in the shave event and / or the distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event; and an image sensor configured to capture images of the skin of the user. The images of the skin of the user may show hair follicles.

[0055] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving data as described herein may be collected by one or more sensors of the shaving instrument. The one or more sensors of the instrument may include a navigation sensor, a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor,a touch or proximity sensor, a displacement sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, an Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or an image sensor (e g. a camera).

[0056] According to various non-limiting embodiments, a navigation sensor may include an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which typically includes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers. Accelerometers may measure acceleration forces along three axes, allowing the system to track changes in velocity and position Gyroscopes may measure angular velocity or rotational rate, providing information about the object's orientation and angular movement. Magnetometers may measure the Earth's magnetic field, aiding in orientation estimation. In some embodiments, a navigation sensor may include a Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor that emits laser pulses and measures the time it takes for the pulses to return after reflecting off objects in the environment. By analysing the reflected signals, lidar sensors may create high-resolution 3D maps of the surroundings, enabling precise localization and obstacle detection. Tn some embodiments, a navigation sensor may include a camera that captures visual information about the environment, including images and video footage. Computer vision algorithms may be utilized to analyze the visual information captured to extract features, detect objects, and estimate the object's position and orientation relative to the surroundings.

[0057] For example, a navigation sensor, a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor, and / or a displacement sensor may be configured to collect a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event, a speed of a shaving stroke, a direction a shaving stroke was taken (e.g. in the direction of hair growth), a sequence in which shaving strokes are taken, a shave stroke map, a count of upward strokes taken, a count of downward strokes taken, a count of the strokes taken with the hair grain, a count of the strokes taken against the hair grain, a count of the number of shaving instrument rinses, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user. In an example, a position sensor using 6 degrees-of-freedom (DOF) inside-out positional tracking may be used to track movement of the shaving instrument so as to determine the quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, the length of a shaving stroke in the shave eventand / or the distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event. The position sensor may make use of tracking information from an Inertia Measurement Unit (IMU) and an image sensor (that are used for counting hair follicles) or a separate image sensor.

[0058] Tn an example, a temperature / heat / thermal sensor may be configured to collect a temperature of the water used during the shave.

[0059] In an example, a real-time clock (RTC) or any sensor that is capable of measuring time or provide time-related information may be configured to collect a duration of the shave event, a time of day when the shave is taken, a total contact time between the shaving instrument and the user, a frequency that the user shaves, a usage status of the shaving instrument (e.g. a usage status of a cutting element (e.g. a blade) thereof).

[0060] Tn an example, a navigation sensor or an Infrared camera may be configured to identify a location on a user's body where a shave stroke is taken and / or an image of a shaving part of the user. Computer vision algorithms may be utilized to analyze the image captured to extract features, and identify the location on the user's body.

[0061] In an example, a pressure sensor may be configured to collect a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted. The pressure sensor may include a strain gauge pressure sensor, a piezoelectric pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) pressure sensor, and / or any sensor that is capable of measuring pressure.

[0062] In an example, a touch or proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or an image sensor may be configured to detect that the shave event begins and / or detect that the shave event ends. In another example, a ON / OFF switch may be configured to detect that the shave event begins and / or detect that the shave event ends.

[0063] In an example, a button or a switch accessible to the user may be configured to collect a type of shaving stroke taken (e.g. dry shaving or wet shaving). That may mean that the user may select a type of shaving by pressing / switching the button or switch disposed on an external casing of the shaving instrument and the type of shaving stroke taken is the type of shaving.

[0064] The present method should not be confined exclusively to the shaving data outlined above, and should include any data that is available in the shave event associated with the user,and collectable by a sensor as described herein, the feedback information generated from which is useful to the user as described hereinafter The present method should not be confined exclusively to the sensors outlined above, and should include any known sensor or any sensor developed in the future across diverse fields and multifarious applications that is capable of measuring the shaving data according to the measurement requisites and operational contexts as elucidated above in the shave event associated with the user. These may encompass sensors devised to detect and quantify phenomena extending from electrical signals and light emissions to radiation particles and fluid flows. The present method should not be confined exclusively to the examples outlined above, and the shaving data may be collected by any sensor that is capable of measuring the respective data according to the measurement requisites and operational contexts as elucidated above in the shave event associated with the user.

[0065] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving instrument may include a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument. The first edge may be opposite to the second edge in a manner that a cutting element of the shaving instrument is disposed between the first edge and the second edge. The shaving data may correspondingly include a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors. The first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected or consecutively collected. The first set of data may be correlatedly processed with the second set of data to generate feedback information. In some embodiments, the first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected, and a correlation relationship may be analyzed in a manner that a correlation factor is determined in a connection with a correlation threshold so as to decide accuracy and validity of the first and second sets of data. For example, the first and second sets of data may only be processed to generate the feedback information if the correlation factor determined based on the first and second sets of data is greater than the correlation threshold, representing the first set of data is closely correlated with the second set of data. In some embodiments, the first set of data and the second set of data may be consecutively collected. For example, the first edge may be a leading edge disposed in front of the cutting element and the second edge may be a trailing edge disposed behind the cutting element in a manner that the first set of data may be collected before shaving and the second set of data may be collected after shaving. Accordingly, the first set of data may include information before shaving and be used to determine condition and / or location of the skin being shaved, and the second set of data may include information after shaving and be processed to generate feedback information.

[0066] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information may include transmitting the shaving data to an application installed in a computing device (e g. as shown in FIG. 6) with which the shaving instrument is connected or a charging dock of the shaving instrument via a wireless network; and processing the shaving data to generate feedback information by the application installed in the computing device with which the shaving instrument is connected or by the charging dock of the shaving instrument, respectively. In the context of the charging dock processing the shaving data and generating the feedback information based on the shaving data, the shaving instrument may include a processor, a memory coupled to the processor as a computing device shown in FIG. 6. According to various non-limiting embodiments, the wireless network may operate as a WiFi network, aBluetooth network, an Infrared (IR) network, aNearField Communication (NFC) network, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) network or a millimeter wave (mmWave) network.

[0067] According to various non-limiting embodiments, when the shaving data includes an image of a shaving part of the user, the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information may include processing the image of the shaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument. Accordingly, the count of hairs may be provided to the user as the feedback information. The feedback information may also include information other than the count of hairs as described herein (e g. a recommendation on maintenance of a user's shave behavior, a recommendation on change of a user's shave behavior) that is generated from the shaving data.

[0068] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method 200 for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, the Al model may be trained by the method 200 of FIG. 2.

[0069] The method 200 may include preprocessing a training dataset of labelled images of patterns and characteristics of hairs (at step 202); feeding the training dataset of labelled images to the Al model to learn the patterns and characteristics of hairs from (at step 204); extracting features associated with hair follicles from the training dataset of labelled images (at step 206); and obtaining a count of hairs using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features (at step 208). The patterns and characteristics of hairs may include information about fair follicles. In some embodiments, the Al model may be trained to identify hair follicles and hair(s) in each follicle from the labelled images and count the hair(s) in each follicle. The counting algorithm may be based on computer vision and the Al model.

[0070] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the Al model may include, but not limited to, deep learning architectures including a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), aRecurrent Neural Network (RNN), a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), a Long Short- Term Memory Network (LSTM), and a Capsule Network (CapsNet).

[0071] According to various non-limiting embodiments, at step 206, the method may further include extracting low-level features from the training dataset of labelled images including texture, colour, shape, and other visual attributes associated with the hair follicles.

[0072] According to various non-limiting embodiments, at step 208, the method may further include classifying each pixel in the labeled image as either hair or non-hair (background) based on the extracted features, for example, a particular colour of the hair, and counting the number of hairs by pixels showing the particular colour.

[0073] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the method 200 may iteratively perform the steps 202, 204, 206 and 208 in a deep learning neural network to adjust its weights and biases in connection with the labelled images.

[0074] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the training of the Al model may further include evaluating the trained Al model by a test dataset of labelled images. The evaluation step may identify any issue with overfitting or underfitting and guide further refinement of the Al model.

[0075] FIG. 3 is flowchart showing a method 300 for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The method 300 may also include the steps of method 100. Accordingly, features that are described in the context of the method 100 may correspondingly be applicable to the same or similar features in the method 300 and vice versa. Furthermore, additions and / or combinations and / or alternatives as described for a feature in the context of the method 100 may correspondingly be applicable to the same or similar feature in the method 300 and vice versa.

[0076] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the method 300 may include collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user (not shown), processing the shaving data to generate feedback information (not shown); and providing the feedback information to the user (not shown).

[0077] According to various non-limiting embodiments, when the shaving data includes an image of a shaving part of the user, the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information may include processing the image of the shaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument. Accordingly, the count of hairs may be provided to the user as feedback information. The processing of the image of the shaving part of the user to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument by the trained Al model may include preprocessing the image of theshaving part of the user (at step 302); removing an overlapped region in the image of the shaving part of the user with respect to a further image of the shaving part of the user (at step 304); extracting features associated with hair follicles from the image of the shaving part of the user (at step 306); and feeding the extracted features to the trained Al model to obtain the count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features (at step 308).

[0078] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the preprocessing of the image of the shaving part of the user may include: performing noise reduction, image enhancement, and normalization to ensure consistent lighting and contrast of the image of the shaving part of the user. Accordingly, the quality of the image may be enhanced.

[0079] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the one or more sensors of the shaving instrument may be configured to take images of the shaving part of the user at periodical intervals (e.g. every 0.01 seconds (100Hz), 0.02 seconds or 0.04 seconds). As the shaving instrument moves along the skin surface of the user, a single region (e.g. 6cmx2cm, or 30mmx l5mm) of the skin surface may be captured multiple times as multiple images by the one or more sensors. The method 300 may at step 304, include removing an overlapped region in the image of the shaving part of the user (e.g. taken at a starting point of an interval) with respect to a further image of the shaving part of the user (e g. taken at an end point of the interval). The overlapped region may be removed to avoid double counting.

[0080] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the extracted features may be indicative of hair presence and include texture, color, shape, and other visual attributes associated with the hair follicles.

[0081] According to various non -limiting embodiments, obtain the count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features may include classifying each pixel in the image as either hair or non -hair (background) based on the extracted features and counting the number of hairs by the classified pixels.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram depicting a shaving instrument 400 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The shaving instrument 400 may implement the methods 100, 200, 300 as described hereinbefore.

[0083] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving instrument 400 may include: one or more sensors 410, configured to collect shaving data in a shave event associated with a user; and a communication module 420 configured to provide feedback information generated from the shaving data to the user.

[0084] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving data may include a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument 400 travelled in the shave event, a duration of the shave event, a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted, a speed of a shaving stroke, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user. In some embodiments, the shaving data may include a type of shaving stroke taken, a direction a shaving stroke was taken (e.g. in the direction of hair growth), a location on a user's body where a shave stroke is taken, a temperature of the water used during the shave, a time of day when the shave is taken, a total contact time between the shaving instrument 400 and the user, a frequency that the user shaves, a sequence in which shaving strokes are taken, a shave stroke map, a count of upward strokes taken, a count of downward strokes taken, a count of the strokes taken with the hair grain, a count of the strokes taken against the hair grain, a count of the number of shaving instrument 400 rinses, a usage status of the shaving instrument 400 (e.g. a usage status of a cutting element (e.g. a blade) thereof).

[0085] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the one or more sensors 410 of the shaving instrument 400 may include a navigation sensor, a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor, a touch or proximity sensor, a displacement sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, an Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or an image sensor (e.g. a camera).

[0086] According to various non-limiting embodiments, a navigation sensor may include an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which typically includes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers. Accelerometers may measure acceleration forces along three axes, allowing the system to track changes in velocity and position. Gyroscopes may measure angular velocity or rotational rate, providing information about the object's orientation and angular movement. Magnetometers may measure the Earth's magnetic field, aiding in orientation estimation. In some embodiments, a navigation sensor may include a Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor that emits laser pulses and measures the time it takes for the pulses to return after reflecting off objects in the environment. By analysing the reflected signals, lidar sensors may create high-resolution 3D maps of the surroundings, enabling preciselocalization and obstacle detection. In some embodiments, a navigation sensor may include a camera that captures visual information about the environment, including images and video footage. Computer vision algorithms may be utilized to analyze the visual information captured to extract features, detect objects, and estimate the object's position and orientation relative to the surroundings.

[0087] For example, a navigation sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor, and / or a displacement sensor may be configured to collect a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument 400 travelled in the shave event, a speed of a shaving stroke, a direction a shaving stroke was taken (e.g. in the direction of hair growth), a sequence in which shaving strokes are taken, a shave stroke map, a count of upward strokes taken, a count of downward strokes taken, a count of the strokes taken with the hair grain, a count of the strokes taken against the hair grain, a count of the number of shaving instrument 400 rinses, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user.

[0088] In an example, a temperature / heat / thermal sensor may be configured to collect a temperature of the water used during the shave.

[0089] In an example, a real-time clock (RTC) or any sensor that is capable of measuring time or provide time-related information may be configured to collect a duration of the shave event, a time of day when the shave is taken, a total contact time between the shaving instrument 400 and the user, a frequency that the user shaves, a usage status of the shaving instrument 400 (e.g. a usage status of a cutting element (e.g. a blade) thereof).

[0090] In an example, a navigation sensor or an Infrared camera may be configured to identify a location on a user's body where a shave stroke is taken and / or an image of a shaving part of the user. Computer vision algorithms may be utilized to analyze the image captured to extract features, and identify the location on the user's body.

[0091] In an example, a pressure sensor may be configured to collect a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted. The pressure sensor may include a strain gauge pressure sensor, a piezoelectric pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) pressure sensor, and / or any sensor that is capable of measuring pressure.

[0092] In an example, a touch or proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, a Radio-Frequency Identification(RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or an image sensor (e g. camera) may be configured to detect that the shave event begins and / or detect that the shave event ends. In another example, a ON / OFF switch may be configured to detect that the shave event begins and / or detect that the shave event ends.

[0093] In an example, a button or a switch accessible to the user may be configured to collect a type of shaving stroke taken (e.g. dry shaving or wet shaving). That may mean that the user may select a type of shaving by pressing / switching the button or switch disposed on an external casing of the shaving instrument 400 and the type of shaving stroke taken is the type of shaving.

[0094] The present shaving instrument 400 should not be confined exclusively to the sensors outlined above, and should include any known sensor or any sensor developed in the future across diverse fields and multifarious applications that is capable of measuring the shaving data according to the measurement requisites and operational contexts as elucidated above in the shave event associated with the user. These may encompass sensors devised to detect and quantify phenomena extending from electrical signals and light emissions to radiation particles and fluid flows. The present shaving instrument 400 should not be confined exclusively to the shaving data outlined above, and should be capable of measuring the respective data according to the measurement requisites and operational contexts as elucidated above in the shave event associated with the user and equipped with a corresponding sensor.

[0095] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving instrument 400 may include a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument. The first edge may be opposite to the second edge in a manner that a cutting element of the shaving instrument is disposed between the first edge and the second edge. The shaving data may correspondingly include a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors. The first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected or consecutively collected. The first set of data may be correlatedly processed with the second set of data to generate feedback information. In some embodiments, the first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected, a correlation relationship may be analyzed in a manner that a correlation factor is determined in a connection with a correlation threshold so as to decide accuracy and validity of the first and second sets of data. For example, the first and second sets of data may only be processed to generate the feedback information if the correlation factor determined based on the first and second sets of data is greater than the correlation threshold,representing the first set of data is closely correlated with the second set of data. In some embodiments, the first set of data and the second set of data may be consecutively collected. For example, the first edge may be a leading edge disposed in front of the cutting element and the second edge may be a trailing edge disposed behind the cutting element in a manner that the first set of data may be collected before shaving and the second set of data may be collected after shaving. Accordingly, the first set of data may include information before shaving and be used to determine condition and / or location of the skin being shaved, and the second set of data may include information after shaving and be processed to generate feedback information.

[0096] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the communication module 420 may be further configured to transmit the shaving data to an application installed in a computing device with which the shaving instrument 400 is connected or a charging dock (not shown) of the shaving instrument 400 via a wireless network. The shaving data may be processed to generate the feedback information by the application installed in the computing device with which the shaving instrument 400 is connected or by the charging dock of the shaving instrument 400, respectively.

[0097] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the wireless network may operate as a Wi-Fi network, a Bluetooth network, an Infrared (IR) network, a Near Field Communication (NFC) network, an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) network or a millimeter wave (mmWave) network.

[0098] According to various non-limiting embodiments, when the shaving data includes an image of a shaving part of the user, the shaving data may be processed by an artificial intelligence (Al) model to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument 400 to generate feedback information as described hereinbefore with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Accordingly, the count of hairs may be provided to the user as feedback information. The shaving instrument 400 may further include an output module (e g. a display or a speaker) to communicate the feedback information to the user.

[0099] FIG. 5A shows a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary shaving instrument 500 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; and FIG. 5B shows a side view of the exemplary shaving instrument 500 of FIG. 5A in operation on skin 501. The shaving instrument 500 may include the same or similar features of the shaving instrument 400. Accordingly, features that are described in the context of the shaving instrument 400 may correspondingly be applicable to the same or similar features in the shaving instrument 500 and vice versa. Furthermore, additions and / or combinations and / or alternatives as described fora feature in the context of the shaving instrument 400 may correspondingly be applicable to the same or similar feature in the shaving instrument 500 and vice versa.[000100] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the shaving instrument 500 may include a handle 530, and a cutting element assembly 510 detachably attached to the handle 530. In some embodiments, the shaving instrument 500 may further include a first set of the one or more sensors (not shown) located on a first edge of the cutting element assembly 510 (e g. a leading edge at the bottom of the cutting element assembly 510) and a second set of the one or more sensors (not shown) located on a second edge of the cutting element assembly 510 (e g. a trailing edge at the top of the cutting element assembly 510). The first edge may be opposite to the second edge in a manner that a cutting element 512 of the cutting element assembly 510 is disposed between the first edge and the second edge. The shaving data may correspondingly include a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors. The first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected or consecutively collected. The first set of data may be correlatedly processed with the second set of data to generate feedback information as described herein.[000101] In other embodiments, the shaving instrument 500 may include a first set of the one or more sensors 531 located on a first side of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors 532 located on a second side of the shaving instrument 500. The shaving data may correspondingly include a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors 531 and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors 532. The first set of data and the second set of data may be simultaneously collected or consecutively collected. The first set of data may be correlatedly processed with the second set of data to generate feedback information as described herein.[000102] In some embodiments, the first set of data and the second set of data may be consecutively collected. For example, the first set of one or more sensor 511 may be disposed nearer a leading edge of the cutting element assembly 510 and the second set of one or more sensors 512 may be disposed nearer to a trailing edge of the cutting element assembly 510 in a manner that the first set of data may be collected before shaving by the first set of one or more sensors 511 and the second set of data may be collected after shaving by the second set of one or more sensors 512. Accordingly, the first set of data may include information before shaving and be used to determine condition and / or location of the skin being shaved, and the second set of data may include information after shaving and be processed to generate feedback information after shaving.[000103] According to various non-limiting embodiments, the first set of one or more sensors of the shaving instrument 500 may include a first image sensor and the second set of one or more sensors may include a second image sensor . The first and second image sensors may be configured to collect the shaving data as a form of images of the shaving part of the user. The first image sensor having a FOV (field of view) 1 as shown in FIG. 5B may be configured to capture images of a skin region before shaving and the second image sensor having a FOV 2 as shown in FIG. 5B may be configured to capture images of the skin region after shaving.[000104] According to various non -limiting embodiments, a computer program element comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described herein (e.g. the methods 100, 200, 300).[000105] According to various non-limiting embodiments, a computer-readable medium comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described herein (e.g. the methods 100, 200, 300).[000106] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example computing device 600, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The computing device 600 may be a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, an automobile computer, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, a server, a shaving device, or other computing devices capable of running computer applications. In some embodiments, the computing device 600 includes a processor 602, an input / output (I / O) module 604, memory 606, a power unit 608, and one or more network interfaces 610. The computing device 600 can include additional components. In some embodiments, the processor 602, input / output (TO) module 604, memory 606, power unit 608, and the network interface(s) 610 are housed together in a common housing or other assembly.[000107] The example processor 602 can execute instructions, for example, to generate output data based on data inputs. The instructions can include programs, codes, scripts, modules, or other types of data stored in memory (e.g., memory 606). Additionally or alternatively, the instructions can be encoded as pre-programmed or re-programmable logic circuits, logic gates, or other types of hardware or firmware components or modules. The processor 602 may be, or may include, a multicore processor having a plurality of cores, and each such core may have an independent power domain and can be configured to enter and exit different operating or performance states based on workload. Additionally or alternatively, the processor 602 may be, or may include, a general-purpose microprocessor, as a specialized co-processor or another type of data processing apparatus. In some cases, the processor 602 performs high-level operation of the computing device 600. For example, the processor 602 may be configured to execute or interpret software, scripts, programs, functions, executables, or other instructions stored in the memory 606. Tn the context of various embodiments, the computing device 600 may include the example processor 602 configured to execute instructions to provide parameters for configuring a wireless network of transmitting and receiving audio data to a primary headset. The instructions may be stalled in the memory 606 as an application 614 (an App).[000108] The example I / O module 604 may include a mouse, keypad, touch screen, scanner, optical reader, and / or stylus (or other input device(s)) through which a user of the computing device 600 may provide input to the computing device 600, and may also include one or more speakers for providing audio output and a video display device for providing textual, audiovisual, and / or graphical output.[000109] The example memory 606 may include computer-readable storage media, for example, a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, or both. The memory 606 may include one or more read-only memory devices, random-access memory devices, buffer memory devices, or a combination of these and other types of memory devices. In some instances, one or more components of the memory can be integrated or otherwise associated with another component of the computing device 600. The memory 606 may store instructions that are executable by the processor 602. In some examples, the memory 606 may store instructions for an operating system 612 and for application programs 614. The memory 606 may also store a database 616.[000110] The example power unit 608 provides power to the other components of the computing device 600. For example, the other components may operate based on electrical power provided by the power unit 608 through a voltage bus or other connection. Tn some embodiments, the power unit 608 includes a battery or a battery system, for example, a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the power unit 608 includes an adapter (e g., an AC adapter) that receives an external power signal (from an external source) and coverts the external power signal to an internal power signal conditioned for a component of the computing device 600. The power unit 608 may include other components or operate in another manner. [000111] The computing device 600 may be configured to operate in a wireless, wired, or cloud network environment (or a combination thereof) Tn some embodiments, the computing device 600 can access the network using the network interface(s) 610. The network interface(s) 610 can include one or more adapters, modems, connectors, sockets, terminals, ports, slots, andthe like. The wireless network that the computing device 600 accesses may operate, for example, according to a wireless network standard or another type of wireless communication protocol. For example, the wireless network may be configured to operate as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or another type of wireless network. Examples of WLANs include networks configured to operate according to one or more of the 802.11 family of standards developed by IEEE (e.g., Wi-Fi networks), and others. Examples of PANs include networks that operate according to short-range communication standards (e.g., BLUETOOTH®, Near Field Communication (NFC), ZigBee), millimeter wave communications, and others. The wired network that the computing device 600 accesses may, for example, include Ethernet, SONET, circuit-switched networks (e g., using components such as SS7, cable, and the like), and others.[000112] While this specification contains many details, these should not be understood as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular examples. Certain features that are described in this specification or shown in the drawings in the context of separate embodiments can also be combined. Conversely, various features that are described or shown in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination.[0001 13] Similarly, while steps / operations of the methods as described above are depicted in a particular order (e.g. as shown in the drawings), this should not be understood as requiring that such operations / steps be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. For example, some operations / steps may occur in different orders and / or concurrently with other operations / steps apart from those illustrated and / or described herein. In addition, not all illustrated operations / steps may be required to implement one or more aspects or embodiments described herein. Also, one or more of the steps depicted herein may be carried out in one or more separate acts and / or phases.[000114] Moreover, the separation / integration of various system components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation / integration in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or separated into multiple products[000115] A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications can be made. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for generating feedback information by a shaving instrument in a shave event associated with a user, the method comprising: collecting shaving data by the shaving instrument in the shave event associated with the user; processing the shaving data to generate feedback information; and providing the feedback information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting that the shave event begins by a touch sensor or a proximity sensor of the shaving instrument; and / or detecting that the shave event ends by a touch sensor or a proximity sensor of the shaving instrument.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shaving data comprises a quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, a length of a shaving stroke in the shave event, a distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event, a duration of the shave event, a pressure of a shaving stroke exerted, a speed of a shaving stroke, and / or an image of a shaving part of the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the shaving data are collected by one or more sensors of the shaving instrument comprising: a touch or proximity sensor configured to detect touch of the shaving instrument on skin of the user; a position tracking sensor configured to determine the quantity of shaving strokes taken in the shave event, the length of a shaving stroke in the shave event and / or the distance of the shaving instrument travelled in the shave event; and an image sensor configured to capture images of the skin of the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the shaving instrument comprises a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument, the first edge being opposite to the second edge, a cutting element of the shaving instrument disposed between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the shaving data comprises a first set of datacollected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors.

6. The method of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein when the shaving data comprises an image of a shaving part of the user, the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information comprises processing the image of the shaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the Al model is trained by: preprocessing a training dataset of labelled images of patterns and characteristics of hairs; feeding the training dataset of labelled images to the Al model to learn the patterns and characteristics of hairs from; extracting features associated with hair follicles from the training dataset of labelled images; and obtaining a count of hairs using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the training of the Al model further comprises evaluating the trained Al model by a test dataset of labelled images.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the processing of the image of the shaving part of the user to obtain a count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument by the trained Al model comprises preprocessing the image of the shaving part of the user; removing an overlapped region in the image of the shaving part of the user with respect to a further image of the shaving part of the user; extracting features associated with hair follicles from the image of the shaving part of the user; and feeding the extracted features to the trained Al model to obtain the count of hairs shaved by the shaving instrument using a counting algorithm based on the extracted features.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the preprocessing of the image of the shaving part of the user comprises:performing noise reduction, image enhancement, and normalization to ensure consistent lighting and contrast of the image of the shaving part of the user.1 1 . The method of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the extracted features comprise texture, color, shape, and other visual attributes associated with the hair follicles.

12. The method of any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the counting algorithm comprises classifying each pixel in the image as either hair or non-hair (background) based on the extracted features.

13. The method of any of claims 1 to 1 1 , wherein the processing of the shaving data to generate feedback information comprises: transmitting the shaving data to an application installed in a computing device with which the shaving instrument is connected or a charging dock of the shaving instrument; and processing the shaving data to generate feedback information by the application installed in the computing device with which the shaving instrument is connected or by the charging dock of the shaving instrument, respectively.

14. A shaving instrument comprising: one or more sensors, configured to collect shaving data in a shave event associated with a user, and a communication module configured to provide feedback information generated from the shaving data to the user.

15. The shaving instrument of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors comprise: a navigation sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a velocity sensor, a distance sensor, a touch or proximity sensor, a displacement sensor, a capacitive sensor, an electrical conductance sensor, an electrical resistance sensor, an electrical current sensor, a load sensor, a strain sensor, a friction sensor, a fluid flow sensor, pressure sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a chemical sensor, a particle detector, a bio sensor, an Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor, a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor, a wireless transceiver and / or a camera.

16. The shaving instrument of claim 14 or claim 15, comprising a first set of the one or more sensors located on a first edge of the shaving instrument and a second set of the one or more sensors located on a second edge of the shaving instrument, the first edge being opposite to the second edge, a cutting element of the shaving instrument disposed between the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the shaving data comprises a first set of data collected by the first set of one or more sensors and a second set of data collected by the second set of one or more sensors.

17. The shaving instrument of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the shaving data comprises an image of a shaving part of the user, the feedback information is generated by processing the image of the shaving part of the user by an artificial intelligence (Al) model.

18. The shaving instrument of any of claims 14 to 17, further comprising: a charging dock, wherein the charging dock is configured to receive the shaving data collected by the one or more sensors and process the shaving data to generate the feedback information19. A computer program element comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

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