SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADAPTIVE PHYSICAL FEEDBACK TO A USER OF A HANDHELD DEVICE - Patent application

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for providing adaptive physical feedback to a user of an oral care device, wherein the method for providing an adaptive physical indicator to a user of a handheld device includes determining a current orientation or position of the handheld device by a controller and one or more sensors of the handheld device, determining a deviation of the handheld device from a target orientation or proximity of the handheld device to a target position by the controller of the handheld device, determining a desired orientation or position correction by the controller of the handheld device, and providing a physical indicator to the user using a sensory feedback module of the handheld device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing adaptive physical feedback to a user of a handheld device, such as an oral care appliance. [Background technology]

[0002] Developing and maintaining good oral care habits is important for both oral and overall health. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, despite numerous recommendations from health care professionals and enthusiastic guidance from smart oral care products (such as network or internet connected toothbrushes), many consumers have difficulty adhering to oral care habits. The impact of professional recommendations often fades shortly after a dental visit. Thus, there remains a need in the art for oral care systems and methods that promote good oral care habits in users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] The present disclosure relates to an inventive system and method for providing adaptive physical feedback to a user of a handheld device. The oral care system includes an oral care device, one or more sensors configured to sense the position and orientation of the oral care device when it is in use, one or more controllers that determine required corrections to the position and orientation of the device, and a sensory feedback module designed to provide a user with physical indicators for correcting the position and orientation of the device.

[0005] In general, in one aspect, a method is provided for providing an adaptive physical indicator to a user of a handheld device, the method including: (i) determining, via a controller and one or more sensors of the handheld device, a current orientation of the handheld device, (ii) determining, via the controller of the handheld device, a deviation of the handheld device from a target orientation, (iii) determining, via the controller of the handheld device, a desired directional correction, and (iv) providing a physical indicator to a user using a sensory feedback module of the handheld device.

[0006] In one aspect, the method allows the current orientation to be determined using a camera, an inertial motion unit, an inclinometer, or a proximity sensor.

[0007] In one aspect, the method allows for feedback smoothing, thus allowing the desired correction to be made.

[0008] In some aspects, the method allows for the physical indicator to have variable timing or magnitude.

[0009] In one aspect, the method allows for the physical indicators to be applied in a proportional-integral-derivative manner.

[0010] In general, in one aspect, a method is provided for providing an adaptive physical indicator to a user of a handheld device, the method comprising: (i) determining a current position of the handheld device by a controller and one or more sensors of the handheld device, (ii) determining a desired position correction by the controller of the handheld device, and (iii) providing the physical indicator to the user using a sensory feedback module of the handheld care device.

[0011] In one aspect, the method further includes determining, by a controller of the handheld device, the proximity of the handheld device to the target location.

[0012] In one aspect, the method allows the current position to be determined using a camera, an inertial motion unit, an inclinometer, or a proximity sensor.

[0013] In one aspect, the method allows for feedback smoothing, thus allowing the desired correction to be made.

[0014] In some aspects, the method allows for the physical indicator to have variable timing or magnitude.

[0015] In one aspect, the method allows for the physical indicators to be applied in a proportional-integral-derivative manner.

[0016] In general, in one aspect, an oral care system is provided that provides an adaptive physical indicator to a user of an oral care device. The oral care system includes an oral care device, a sensor module configured to detect the position and angle of a brush head of the oral care device in a user's oral cavity, a memory module configured to store data related to a brushing position, a sensory feedback module of the oral care device configured to provide a physical indicator, and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers determine a current orientation or position of the oral care device, determine a deviation from a target orientation of the oral care device or determine a proximity of the oral care device to a target position, and determine a desired orientation or position correction, and provide the physical indicator using the sensory feedback module.

[0017] In one aspect, the system is further configured such that the sensory feedback module relies on inertial steering to provide physical feedback.

[0018] In one aspect, the system is further configured such that inertial steering is provided by one or more control moment gyroscopes.

[0019] In one embodiment, the system is further configured such that the sensory feedback module relies on one or more off-center-of-gravity masses to provide physical feedback.

[0020] It should be understood that all combinations of the above-mentioned concepts and additional concepts described in detail below (provided that these concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of subject matter recited in the claims appearing at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be understood that the terms explicitly used herein, which may also appear in any disclosure incorporated by reference, should have a meaning that is most consistent with the particular concepts disclosed herein. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an oral care device according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 13 is an illustration of an off-center mass in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 2B] FIG. 13 is an illustration of an off-center mass in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 illustrates multiple off-center masses in a sensory feedback module in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart of a method for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of an oral care device, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1 is a flowchart of a method for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of an oral care device, according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

[0023] The present disclosure relates to a system and method for providing adaptive physical feedback to a user of a handheld device, the system comprising a handheld device, a sensor module configured to detect a position and an angle of the handheld device while it is in use, a memory module configured to store data related to an area of ​​use of the handheld device, a sensory feedback module of the handheld device configured to provide a physical indicator, and one or more controllers, the one or more controllers configured to determine a current orientation or position of the handheld device, determine a deviation of the handheld device from a target orientation or determine a proximity of the handheld device to a target position, determine a desired orientation or position correction, and provide a physical indicator using the sensory feedback module.

[0024] The physical indicator is designed to provide a physical shift in the handheld device, and the user responds to this shift by changing the orientation or position of the handheld device based on the desired correction. The physical shift can be provided by an off-center mass, where the moving weight shifts the center of gravity of the device, creating an off-balance feeling to the user. The user changes the position, orientation, or angle of the device to adjust and / or correct the feeling of imbalance. The physical shift can also be in the form of inertial steering, where a force pulls the device in a particular direction. This force can be derived from an inertial steering device, such as a control moment gyroscope. The pulling force moves the device based on the desired correction, or the pulling force can act as an indicator to the user to move the device along the direction of the force.

[0025] The embodiments and implementations disclosed or otherwise contemplated herein may be utilized in any suitable handheld or personal care device. Examples of suitable handheld or personal care devices include toothbrushes, such as Philips Sonicare® toothbrushes (Koninklijke Philips, NV), shavers, flossing devices, oral irrigators, interdental cleaners, tongue cleaners, skin care devices, or other personal care devices. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these personal care devices, and thus the disclosures and embodiments disclosed herein may encompass any handheld or personal care device. Although examples of oral care devices are described herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present systems and methods may be utilized in connection with a wide variety of handheld or personal care devices.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, a powered oral care device 10 is provided that includes a handle or body portion 12 and a brush head member 14. The brush head member 14 includes a brush head 16 at an end remote from the body portion. The brush head 16 includes a bristle face 18 providing a plurality of bristles. The body portion 12 typically includes at least a partially hollow housing for housing the elements of the powered oral care device. The body portion 12 can include a drive train assembly that includes a motor 22 for generating motion and a transmission element or drive shaft 24 for transmitting the generated motion to the brush head member 14.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the brush head member 14 is mounted on the drive shaft 24 for movement relative to the body portion 12. The movement can be any of a variety of types of movement, including oscillating or rotating. For example, the brush head member 14 can be fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 24, or alternatively, the brush head member 14 can be removably mounted so that it can be replaced with a different brush head member for different operating functions, or when the bristles or other elements of the brush head become worn and require replacement. In this embodiment, the powered oral care device 10 is a vibrating toothbrush, although it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the powered oral care device can be any other powered personal care device.

[0028] The main body 12 further comprises a user input 26 that allows a user to operate the powered oral care device 10, for example, to turn the device on and off. The user input 26 can be, for example, a button, a touch screen, or a switch.

[0029] The powered oral care device 10 includes one or more sensors 28 configured to obtain sensor data indicative of changes in the position and orientation or angle of the device 10 during use. The sensors 28 are shown in FIG. 1 within the body portion 12, but may be located anywhere within or on the device, including, for example, the brush head member 14, the interior or exterior of the brush head 16, or elsewhere within or on the device. According to one embodiment, the sensors 28 may include one or more motion sensors, optical sensors, infrared, ultrasonic or optical proximity sensors, timers, cameras, pressure sensors, inclinometers, inertial motion units, magnetometers, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and / or any sensing technology, protocol, type, or modality utilized to collect data related to the position or orientation of the powered oral care device 10.

[0030] The device 10 further comprises a controller 30 configured to receive sensor data generated by the sensor 28. According to one embodiment, the sensor 28 is integrated with the controller 30. The controller 30 may be formed of one or more modules and is configured to operate the oral care device 10 based on input, such as input obtained via the user input 26. The controller 30 may comprise, for example, a processor 32 and a memory or database 34. The processor 32 may take any suitable form, including but not limited to a microcontroller, multiple microcontrollers, a circuit, a single processor, or multiple processors. The memory or database 34 may take any suitable form, including non-volatile memory and / or RAM. The non-volatile memory may comprise a read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). The memory may store an operating system, etc. The RAM is used by the processor to temporarily store data. According to one embodiment, the operating system may comprise code that, when executed by the controller 30, controls the operation of the hardware elements of the oral care device 10. According to one embodiment, the connectivity module 38 transmits collected sensor data and may be any module, device, or means capable of transmitting wired or wireless signals, including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication, and / or cellular modules.

[0031] The device further includes a sensory feedback module 50. The sensory feedback module 50 includes one or more physical indicator devices 52 and a controller 54 configured to operate the physical indicators. The operations include turning the physical indicators on or off, increasing or decreasing the magnitude of the physical indicators, receiving and processing sensor data related to the physical indicators, determining the current position of the oral care device and the current orientation or angle of the oral care device, determining the deviation of the oral care device from a target orientation, determining the proximity of the oral care device to a target position, and determining a desired correction of the orientation and / or position. The controller 54 may include, for example, a processor 56 and a memory or database 58. The processor 56 may take any suitable form including, but not limited to, a microcontroller, multiple microcontrollers, a circuit, a single processor, or multiple processors. The memory or database 34 may take any suitable form including non-volatile memory and / or RAM. The non-volatile memory may include a read only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). The memory may store an operating system, etc. The RAM is used by the processor to temporarily store data. According to one embodiment, the operating system may include code that, when executed by the controller 54, controls the operation of the sensory feedback module or hardware elements of the oral care device 10. The controller may also include code for algorithms that learn the appropriate timing, direction, and magnitude of the physical indicators. According to one embodiment, the connectivity module 60 may be any module, device, or means capable of transmitting and / or receiving collected sensor data and transmitting wired or wireless signals, including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near-field communication, and / or cellular modules. The controller 54 of the sensory feedback module 50 may cooperate with the controller 30, the processor 32, the memory 34, and the connectivity module 38 to perform any of its functions.The controller 54 may include its own controller or computing resources that are utilized with computing resources from the oral care device 10, and may also operate in conjunction with one or more remote devices with the controller 54. A remote device may be any computing device capable of data communication with one or more elements of the oral care device 10 (e.g., via the connectivity module 38). For example, a remote device may be or include a computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, mobile computing device, server, gateway, network node, internet or cloud implemented computing resources, etc.

[0032] The physical indicator device 52 may be any combination of devices that provide sensory feedback in the form of a physical movement of the device 10 or a displacement of the center of gravity of the device 10. The physical indicator device 52 may be an inertial steering device that provides sensory feedback in the form of a physical movement of the device in the direction of a desired movement of the device. The physical movement may be of a magnitude that moves the device along the direction of the desired movement or may be of a magnitude that provides a physical pulling force to the user to encourage the user to move the device along the force and the direction of the desired movement. For example, the inertial steering device may include a control moment gyroscope (hereinafter CMG). An exemplary CMG includes a rotating rotor and one or more motorized gimbals that tilt the angular motion of the rotor, which results in a gyro torque. The magnitude of the torque produced by the CMG is related to the shape and mass of the CMG and the change in the rotational speed. The physical indicator device may be one or more single-axis or multi-axis CMGs. For example, a single axis CMG of the physical indicator device 52 may be sufficient to provide feedback along the axis of brushing during brushing to modify or influence the user's behavior (e.g., brushing along the occlusal surface of the teeth far enough away to reach the molars). Multiple CMGs or multi-axis CMGs can provide sensory feedback along multiple axes, for example, the angle of brushing and the direction of brush movement during brushing can be modified. In this method of sensory feedback, the user of the oral care device 10 feels a pull in a desired direction, which can move the oral care device 10, or provides a nudge in the direction of the desired movement, which can signal the user to move the oral care device 10 along that direction. It should be understood that many other methods can be devised to generate a relative torque between the rotor in the sensory feedback module 50 and the user's hand. Inertial steering can be provided by any physical means of applying axial or rotational forces, including application of magnetic forces, use of high velocity air, or any other method known in the art.With inertial steering, a force is applied in the direction of a desired movement, which moves the brush, or a gentle push or nudge in the direction of the desired movement, which instructs the user to move the brush in the desired direction.

[0033] The physical indicator device 52 may rely on off-center masses to provide sensory feedback and physical indicators. This method of providing sensory feedback allows the user to react to the sensation that the oral care device 10 is out of balance, and allows the user to move the oral care device 10 to a desired position or orientation to correct the sensation of being out of balance. For example, an improper orientation or angle between the brush head and the user's teeth can be corrected using off-center masses. As shown in FIG. 2A, in positions A and B, which are neutral positions, the centers of gravity of masses 80 and 82 are aligned with the physical center of the sensory feedback module 50. To move the centers of gravity, one or both of masses 80, 82 are rotated to predetermined positions A', B'. As shown in FIG. 2B, when masses 80 and 82 are shifted to new positions A', B', more mass is shifted to the L side of the sensory feedback module 50. The user can feel that the center of gravity of the device is out of balance. The user's response to the center of gravity being out of balance is to rotate the handle in the direction D2 to properly align the center of gravity and bring the mass into line with the Earth. The movement of the center of gravity can be provided by different forms of movable mass, including two rotating blades with masses 80, 82, multiple rotating blades with mass (allowing for an increased magnitude of center of gravity movement), a fluid pump, a movable mass within a compartment where the mass can move between compartments, a linear slide where the mass can move along the axis of the linear slide, or any other means for manipulating the position of the mass.

[0034] The physical indicator device 52 may rely on one or more off-center masses to provide the physical indicator. When multiple off-center masses are used, physical feedback in both rotational and longitudinal directions can be provided. FIG. 3 shows two blades with masses 80, 82 unbalanced with respect to the center C of the sensory feedback module 50. Based on feeling that the center of gravity of the device is off-balanced, the user rotates the oral care device 10 in a rotational direction D2. Three additional masses 84, 86, 88 can also move within the sensory feedback module 50 along an axis 90. The movement of the masses 84, 86, 88 can be in the f direction, which is the longitudinal direction along an axis that runs through the center of the oral care device 10 from the base to the head, and in the b direction. When the masses 84, 86, 88 are moved in the b direction, the movement of the center of gravity of the sensory feedback module 50 causes the user to move the oral care device 10 in the f direction. In this way, the user can modify the angle of orientation of the oral care device 10 (in rotation) and the position of the oral care device 10 (in the longitudinal directions f and b).

[0035] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary method 200 for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of an oral care device. In step 210, the current orientation of the oral care device 10 is determined using the controller 54 and sensors 28 of the oral care device 10. For example, the angle or orientation of the brush head 16 relative to the user's teeth can be determined using a motion sensor, an optical sensor, an infrared, ultrasonic or optical proximity sensor, a timer, a camera, a pressure sensor, an inclinometer, an inertial motion unit, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, or an accelerometer. In this case, the orientation of the brush head 16 is compared to the orientation of the user's head and teeth. The controller 54 can fuse data from a combination of different sensors 28 to make more accurate or higher level decisions. The data collected from the sensors 28 can be analyzed by an algorithm to improve the sensory feedback and physical indicators provided during brushing. In step 220, the deviation of the oral care device 10 from a target orientation is determined using the controller 54. For example, the target orientation of the oral care device 10, which is a toothbrush, may be for the toothbrush to be oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to the surface of the user's teeth. If the brush is positioned at a 27 degree angle relative to the user's teeth, the deviation from the target orientation will be 18 degrees. In step 230, the controller determines the desired orientation correction. For example, the controller may determine that the toothbrush should be rotated an additional 18 degrees to correct the toothbrush orientation to be at a 45 degree angle relative to the user's teeth. However, the controller may determine that no orientation correction is required for a different directional deviation. Feedback smoothing is any process that reduces the amount of sensory feedback received by the user to eliminate excessive sensory feedback. For example, one form of feedback smoothing is to not provide directional correction for small deviations. As an example, if the deviation from the target orientation is 5 degrees or less, no orientation correction may be required. If the deviation is not large enough, no correction may be required, preventing the system from providing excessive sensory feedback for small deviations.Excessive sensory feedback may annoy the user or may interfere with the use of the device with sensory feedback due to frequent small orientation deviations.

[0036] At step 240, a physical indicator is provided to the user of the oral care device 10 using the sensory feedback module 50. The operation of the sensory feedback module 50 is controlled by the controller 54. The physical indicator is provided by one or more physical indicator devices 52, which may be any combination of devices that provide sensory feedback in the form of physical movement of the device 10 or displacement of the center of gravity of the device 10 using inertial steering and off-center mass methods, respectively.

[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary method 300 for providing an adaptive physical indicator to a user of an oral care device 10. In step 310, the current position of the personal care device is determined using the controller 54 and sensors 28 of the oral care device 10. For example, the position of the toothbrush head 16 relative to the user's mouth can be determined using sensors 28 such as motion sensors, optical sensors, infrared, ultrasonic or optical proximity sensors, timers, cameras, pressure sensors, inclinometers, inertial motion units, magnetometers, gyroscopes, or accelerometers. As an example, the brushed tooth area is determined at least in part from the relative position of the oral care device 10 relative to the user, which can be understood by using a motion sensor such as an embedded inertial measurement unit to determine the absolute position of the oral care device 10, and an optical or proximity sensor such as an infrared proximity sensor or a camera to take into account the relative movement of the user's head relative to the oral care device 10. The controller 54 can fuse data from a combination of different sensors 28 to make more accurate or higher level decisions. Data collected from the sensor 28 can be analyzed by algorithms to improve the sensory feedback provided while brushing.

[0038] In optional step 320, the controller 54 is used to determine the proximity of the oral care device to the target location. Target locations or areas of the teeth that have been recently missed during brushing, frequently missed by the user or others, or where the brushing time is too short are in a suboptimal state. The target locations may be learned for a particular user, may be preprogrammed into the device and not user specific, or may be a combination of preprogrammed and learned locations. The controller 54 may determine based on a map of the user's mouth and teeth where the brush is currently positioned along the map and the user's proximity to the target location. The oral care device 10 may rely on a map of teeth preprogrammed into the controller module 30 or the sensory feedback module 50, or may rely on a map that is individually learned or programmed for the user. For example, the user may be instructed to first trace the teeth with the brush head 16. The user may be guided (e.g., via printed instructions, an application installed on a smartphone, etc.) to move the brush head 16 relative to particular teeth without activating the motor and / or to follow a particular path or routine during one or more brushing sessions.

[0039] In step 330, the controller 54 determines the desired correction of position. For example, the controller 54 may determine that a position correction is desired when the user is close to an area of ​​the mouth or teeth that is frequently missed during brushing. Using machine learning, the controller 54 may become more effective over time as it learns which parts of the mouth or teeth are missed more frequently. If the brush head 16 is close to an area of ​​the mouth or teeth that is missed less frequently, the controller 54 may determine that a position correction is not desired. Feedback smoothing is an optional process that reduces the amount of sensory feedback the user receives to reduce excessive sensory feedback. When an area of ​​the mouth or teeth is not frequently missed during brushing, a position correction may not be desirable. As a result, the system does not provide excessive sensory feedback for small deviations. Excessive sensory feedback may annoy the user or prevent the use of the device due to frequent sensory feedback due to frequent and small position deviations.

[0040] In step 340, a physical indicator is provided to the user of the oral care device 10 using the sensory feedback module 50. The physical indicator is provided by one or more physical indicator devices 52, which can be any combination of devices that provide sensory feedback in the form of physical movement of the device 10 or displacement of the center of gravity of the device 10 using inertial steering and off-center mass methods, respectively.

[0041] The timing or magnitude of the physical indicator and sensory feedback can be made to vary. The magnitude and duration of the physical indicator can be made larger or smaller based on the desired correction of different directions or positions. For example, a larger off-center mass can allow for more accurate correction of the brush angle or orientation. For areas of the mouth or teeth that are frequently missed, an inertial steering physical indicator can provide a larger magnitude of pull. As another example, the timing of the physical indicator can be increased if a larger correction is needed. For example, multiple consecutive physical indicators can indicate that a larger correction is needed. As another example, the physical indicator can last longer, indicating that a larger position correction is needed (e.g., a large area of ​​the mouth or teeth has been missed in the past, or an area of ​​the mouth or teeth has been frequently missed in the past). In another example, a successive physical indicator can be provided (e.g., in the form of a pull), in which case the magnitude (pull force) of the successive physical indicators can be increased as a means of encouraging the user to move the brush to cover the desired location. As another example, a physical indicator may be provided in the form of an off-center mass that indicates when the user deviates from the correct orientation (e.g., when the user is brushing at an undesirable angle). This physical indicator may be provided in the form of an off-center mass, where the magnitude of the off-center mass decreases as the user corrects his or her orientation and moves the brush closer to the correct orientation. This is an example of the application of the proportional integral derivative principle to a physical indicator.

[0042] Using an algorithm, the timing, direction, and magnitude of the physical indicator needed to provide the desired result of correcting the orientation or position of the oral care device 10 can be determined. The sensory feedback the user receives based on deviation from the desired orientation or position of the oral care device 10 must be adequate enough for the user to correct his / her orientation or position in the desired direction and amount. The sensory feedback module 50 can be programmed to learn the appropriate direction and magnitude of the physical indicator that will produce the desired response from the user. As another example, the sensory feedback module 50 may be set to determine the current orientation or position of the oral care device 10 and the desired correction of the orientation or position at set time intervals, and then provide the physical indicator. The timing of the physical indicator, or the timing of the adaptive physical indicator loop (determine current position or orientation, determine deviation in orientation or proximity to target position, determine desired correction, provide physical indicator) can be set to be frequent enough to see when the user deviates from the desired orientation or position, but not too frequent, to allow time for the user to correct the orientation and / or position of the oral care device 10. The timing, direction, and magnitude of the physical indicators can be preset before a user uses the oral care device 10, or an algorithm can be used to learn the appropriate timing, direction, and magnitude of the physical indicators for each user, or a combination of both techniques can be used.

[0043] Although several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those skilled in the art can readily envision various other means and / or structures for performing the functions and / or obtaining the results and / or obtaining one or more advantages described herein, and each such variation and / or modification is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are exemplary, and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on the particular use or application in which the teachings of the present invention are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. Thus, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative only, and it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, the inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The inventive embodiments of the present application are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. Furthermore, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods is within the scope of the present application, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent.

[0044] The term "and / or" as used in the specification and claims should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctive in some cases and disjunctive in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be interpreted in the same manner, i.e., to mean "one or more" of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specified in the "and / or" clause, whether or not related to the specified elements. It should be understood that "or" as used in the specification and claims has the same meaning as "and / or" as defined above.

[0045] Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, in any method described herein that includes multiple steps or acts, it is understood that the order of the method steps or acts is not necessarily limited to the order in which the method steps or acts are described.

Claims

1. A method for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of a personal care device having a controller and a sensory feedback module, comprising: a controller of the personal care device determining a current orientation or position of the personal care device; a controller of the personal care device determining a deviation of the personal care device from a target orientation or a proximity of the personal care device to a target position; a controller of the personal care device determining a desired correction in orientation or position; a controller of the personal care device using a sensory feedback module of the personal care device to provide a physical indicator to a user, the physical indicator providing a physical shift in the personal care device indicative of the desired correction; the personal care device being at least one of a toothbrush, a flossing device, an oral irrigator, an interdental cleaner, or a tongue cleaner; A method in which the physical shift is provided by an off-center mass or is a form of inertial steering.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current orientation or position is determined using a camera, an inertial motion unit, an inclinometer, or a proximity sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired correction is performed to enable feedback smoothing.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical indicator has a variable timing or magnitude.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical indicator is applied in a proportional-integral-derivative manner.

6. 1. A controller for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of a personal care device, comprising: determining a current orientation or position of the personal care device; determining a deviation of the personal care device from a target orientation or a proximity of the personal care device to a target position; Determining the desired correction in orientation or position; and and providing a physical indicator using a sensory feedback module included in the personal care device, the physical indicator providing a physical shift in the personal care device indicative of the desired correction; the personal care device being at least one of a toothbrush, a flossing device, an oral irrigator, an interdental cleaner, or a tongue cleaner; A controller wherein the physical shift is provided by an off-center mass or is a form of inertial steering.

7. 1. An oral care system for providing adaptive physical indicators to a user of an oral care device, comprising: An oral care device; a sensor module for detecting a position and an angle of a brush head of the oral care device in a user's mouth; a memory module configured to store data relating to brushing position; a sensory feedback module of the oral care device that provides a physical indicator; and a controller, the controller comprising: determining a current orientation or position of the oral care device; determining a deviation of the oral care device from a target orientation or a proximity of the oral care device to a target position; Determining the desired correction in orientation or position; and configured to provide a physical indicator using the sensory feedback module, the physical indicator providing a physical shift in the oral care device indicative of the desired correction; An oral care system, wherein the physical shift is provided by an off-center mass or is a form of inertial steering.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the inertial steering is provided by one or more control moment gyroscopes.

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