Interacting with users of personal care devices

Abstract

According to one aspect, a computer-implemented method 300 for interacting with a user of a personal care device 102 is provided. The method 300 includes receiving 302 device usage data indicative of how the personal care device is being used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device, the device usage data relating to one or more of a defined set of device usage parameters; receiving 304 performance data indicative of an outcome of the instance of use, the performance data relating to one or more of the defined set of performance parameters; and generating 306 a user input prompt to be presented to the user in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from stored baseline device usage data and stored baseline performance data, respectively, by more than a defined threshold amount. Apparatuses, systems, and computer program products are also provided.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to personal care devices and, more particularly, to user interaction with personal care devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Personal care devices may be used to perform personal care activities such as shaving, hair trimming, tooth brushing, flossing, etc. Some personal care devices can measure data while the personal care activity is being performed, and the user of the personal care device may be provided with feedback related to the personal care activity, for example, feedback informing the user that they have not brushed their teeth long enough. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Determinations and measurements made regarding personal care activities may be inaccurate, may become less accurate over time, and may not take into account relevant information, such as changes that have occurred regarding the user related to the personal care activity. Thus, the feedback provided to the user is not as accurate as possible.

[0004] It is therefore desirable to provide a mechanism by which the feedback to be provided to users can be improved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One way to improve the feedback to be provided to a user of a personal care device is to obtain input from the user. The inventors of the present disclosure have recognized that information provided by a user of a personal care device can be used to improve the feedback provided to the user regarding use of the device, and in some cases, can be used to fine-tune the feedback to a particular user. Furthermore, the inventors have recognized that in certain cases, requesting user input only at appropriate times can improve user experience because the user is not burdened with repeatedly providing input. The input provided by the user can be used to improve the accuracy of any decisions made regarding use of the personal care device, such that future feedback provided to the user will be more accurate and the user will be asked to provide input less frequently.

[0006] According to a first particular aspect, a computer-implemented method for interacting with a user of a personal care device is provided, the method comprising: receiving device usage data indicative of how the personal care device is used by the user during an instance of use of the personal care device, the device usage data relating to one or more of a defined set of device usage parameters; receiving performance data indicative of an outcome of the instance of use, the performance data relating to one or more of the defined set of performance parameters; and generating a user input request to be presented to the user in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from stored reference device usage data and stored reference performance data, respectively, by more than a defined threshold amount.

[0007] In this way, the user is only required to provide input when needed, for example, to clarify or confirm measured data for a use instance or to adjust parameters of a model used to analyze the measured data.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method may include receiving user input regarding an instance of use of the personal care device; and adjusting the determined threshold amount according to the received user input.

[0009] The user input request may include a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data. In other embodiments, the user input request may include a request for an indication of the user's perceived results of the usage instance with respect to one or more of a defined set of perceived performance parameters.

[0010] The personal care device may, in some embodiments, comprise a shaving device. Each perceived performance parameter may include an outcome parameter selected from the group consisting of: a perceived closeness of a shave achieved with the shaving device; an indication of any perceived skin irritation resulting from the instance of use; and an indication of perceived comfort after the instance of use.

[0011] Each device use parameter may include a use parameter selected from the group consisting of: the movement of the personal care device; the pressure applied by the personal care device to the surface of the user's body; the speed of movement (motion) of the personal care device; and the direction of movement of the personal care device.

[0012] In embodiments in which the personal care device comprises a shaving device, each result parameter may include a result parameter selected from the group consisting of: closeness of a shave achieved using the shaving device; signs of skin irritation resulting from an instance of use; and signs of skin redness (redness) resulting from an instance of use.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method may further include receiving context data indicative of an environment of a user of the personal care device during the instance of use; and generating a user input request in response to determining that the context data differs from recorded reference context data by more than a defined threshold amount.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method may include, in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from the recorded baseline device usage data and the recorded baseline performance data, respectively, with respect to two or more device usage or performance parameters by more than a defined threshold amount, generating a user input request to be presented to a user, the user input request being for the device usage or performance parameter corresponding to the largest determined difference.

[0015] In some embodiments, at least one of the stored baseline device usage data and the stored baseline performance data may include data regarding at least one previous instance of device use of a personal care device by a user.

[0016] According to a second particular aspect, there is provided an apparatus for interacting with a user of a personal care device, the apparatus having a processor configured to perform the steps of the methods disclosed herein.

[0017] In some embodiments, the device may further include a storage device, and the processor may be configured to store one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data in the storage device.

[0018] The device may further comprise one or more sensors configured to obtain device usage and / or performance data.

[0019] According to a third particular aspect, there is provided a system having one or more sensors for acquiring device usage data indicative of how a personal care device is used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device and performance data indicative of an outcome of the instance of use, the system further comprising a storage module for storing baseline device usage data and baseline performance data, a comparison module for comparing the acquired device usage data to the stored baseline device usage data and for comparing the acquired performance data to the stored baseline performance data, and a user interface for presenting a user input request in response to determining that the acquired device usage data differs from the stored baseline device usage data by more than a first defined threshold amount or that the acquired performance data differs from the stored baseline performance data by more than a second defined threshold amount.

[0020] According to a fourth particular aspect, there is provided a computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein, the computer-readable code being configured, when executed by a suitable computer or processor, to cause the computer or processor to perform one or more steps of the methods disclosed herein.

[0021] These and other aspects will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a system for interacting with a user of a personal care device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of a device for interacting with a user of a personal care device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an example method for interacting with a user of a personal care device. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is a flowchart of another example method for interacting with a user of a personal care device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a processor in communication with a computer-readable medium. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Exemplary embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which:

[0024] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a mechanism is provided by which a user of a personal care device can be prompted to provide input at appropriate times (e.g., at times convenient for the user), which can help improve the feedback provided to the user regarding the personal care device and / or its use. In some embodiments of the present invention, data regarding the use of the personal care device is obtained, which may indicate, for example, how the user is using the personal care device during a personal care activity. Data regarding the results of the personal care activity, such as data indicating the results of the personal care activity, is also obtained. Both the data regarding the use of the personal care device and the data regarding the results of the personal care activity are compared to corresponding reference data, and if either changes from the corresponding reference data by more than a predetermined amount, the user of the personal care device can be prompted to provide input. In this manner, the user can be prompted for input if the use of the device is not as expected or if the results of the personal care activity are not as expected. In general, embodiments of the present invention determine when to prompt the user for input and what input the user is required to provide.

[0025] In a particular example, a person may use a shaving device to shave. The shaving device may include several sensors configured to measure data related to device use, such as a force sensor to measure how hard the person presses the shaving device (shaver) against their face, and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to measure parameters related to the movement of the shaving device (e.g., direction and speed of movement). For example, data is acquired by the force sensor and IMU while the person uses the device to shave. Other sensors, such as optical sensors and / or imaging devices, may be provided on the shaving device itself or external to the shaving device and may measure data indicative of the results of the shaving operation. For example, the imaging device may indicate the closeness of the shave, and the optical sensor may detect signs of skin irritation (e.g., redness) resulting from the shaving operation. The device use data is then compared to baseline data related to device use, and result data is compared to baseline result data related to the shaving operation. If the measured data differs from the corresponding baseline data by at least a threshold amount, the user of the device may be prompted to provide input. For example, the user may be asked to confirm whether they notice that they are pressing the shaving device particularly hard against their skin and / or whether they experience any discomfort on their face after shaving. If the user's input is consistent with measurements made using the sensors, feedback may be provided to the user to suggest changes that can improve the performance of future shaving sessions. However, if the user's input is inconsistent with measurements made using the sensors, it may be determined that one or more of the sensor sensitivities should be adjusted or that the model used to analyze the measurement data should be optimized. In this manner, the input provided by the user can be used to make adjustments or optimizations related to the shaving device.

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example system 100 for interacting with a user of a personal care device 102. The personal care device 102 may include any type of personal care device used to perform a personal care activity. Some embodiments are described in the context of a handheld shaving device used to shave or trim hair from a subject's skin. However, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to shaving devices, and the embodiments described herein may be implemented in a wide range of personal care devices. Accordingly, the personal care device 102 described herein may include, for example, a hair removal device such as an epilator or an intense pulsed light (IPL) device; a hair care device such as a shaver, clippers, or hair trimmer; an oral care device such as an electric toothbrush or flossing device; a skin health analyzer; an electric massager; a phototherapy device; or a pain relief device. Other personal care devices are also contemplated.

[0027] The personal care device 102 may be intended to be held by a user's hand during use and may therefore be referred to as a handheld personal care device. The personal care device 102 may include a body 104 and a processing element 106 for performing the processing. For example, the processing element 106 of a shaving device may include a shaving head or cutting element, while the processing element of an electric toothbrush may include a brush head. The body 104 may house one or more components of the personal care device 102. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the body 104 includes sensors 108a and 108b. In this example, the personal care device 102 is shown to include two sensors 108, but in other examples, more or fewer sensors may be included. Furthermore, while the sensors 108 are shown in FIG. 1 as being housed within the body 104 of the personal care device 102, in other examples, one or more sensors may be located on or within any portion of the personal care device, such as on or within the processing element 106 or on a surface of the body 104.

[0028] Each of the sensors 108 may comprise any sensor capable of measuring data related to the use of the personal care device 102 (referred to herein as device usage data). For example, each of the sensors 108 may comprise any sensor capable of measuring the movement of the personal care device 102, such as the displacement of the personal care device during an instance of use of the personal care device. As used herein, the term "instance of use" is intended to refer to an action over a period of time in which a user uses the personal care device 102 (e.g., shaving or brushing their teeth). One or more of the sensors 108 may comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU). IMUs, which are well known to those skilled in the art, may use accelerometers, gyroscopes, and / or magnetometers to measure various parameters (e.g., specific forces, angular velocity, and / or orientation) of the device in which the IMU is incorporated. The IMU can be used to measure several parameters of the personal care device 102 during an instance of use, such as the direction of movement of the personal care device, the speed of movement, and, in the case of a shaving device, an indication of whether the movement is in line with or opposite to the direction of the user's hair (sometimes called hair direction). Data from such sensors can be used to determine whether the user is moving the personal care device 102 at the appropriate speed and in the appropriate manner.

[0029] Data indicative of the speed and / or direction of movement of the personal care device 102 may also be measured using sensors in a wearable device such as a smart watch, or may be calculated from data acquired by an imaging device such as a camera.

[0030] One or more of the sensors 108 may include a force or pressure sensor that measures the force or pressure applied by the personal care device 102 to a surface, such as the user's skin. For example, the force sensor may measure the force applied between the processing element 106 (e.g., a shaving head) and the user's skin. Various force sensors, including switch-type sensors and thin-film resistive sensors, are well known to those skilled in the art. However, in general, any suitable force sensor may be used. Data from such a force sensor may be used to determine whether the user is applying an appropriate amount of force to their skin with the personal care device 102.

[0031] One or more of the sensors 108 may include a capacitance sensor. A capacitance sensor may be used, for example, to measure the amount of contact the processing element 106 remains with a surface (e.g., a user's skin or teeth) between instances of use of the personal care device 102. Data from such a capacitance sensor may be used to determine whether a user is holding the personal care device 102 in an appropriate manner during use. Capacitive sensors may also be used to provide skin hydration measurements, measure facial hair characteristics such as hair length and density, and measure the force applied by the device to a surface such as a user's skin.

[0032] In addition to the sensors 108a and 108b located around the personal care device 102, one or more additional sensors may be used to obtain data related to the use of the personal care device. For example, the system 100 of FIG. 1 includes additional sensors 108c and 108d that are located external to the personal care device 102 but that may be used to measure data related to the use of the personal care device. One or more of the sensors 108 (e.g., the additional sensors 108c and 108d) may comprise an image capture device, such as a camera, for capturing images or video footage of a use instance in which the personal care device 102 is used to perform a personal care activity. One or more of the sensors 108 may also comprise a context sensor for obtaining data indicative of the context of the user and / or the personal care device 102 during the use instance. For example, such a context sensor may obtain data related to the user's location, the weather (e.g., temperature and / or humidity) in the user's vicinity, and / or the user's surrounding environment (e.g., whether the user is indoors or outdoors). Data from such context sensors can be used for subsequent adjustment and optimization of the sensors and / or models used to determine when to prompt the user to provide input. While sensors 108c and 108d are described herein as being external to the personal care device 102, in some examples, one or more of these additional sensors can be located within or on the personal care device. In other examples, one or more of sensors 108 can be located within or on, or form part of, another device, such as a smartphone, a wearable device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, or an interactive mirror.

[0033] Each of the sensors 108 can be in communication with the processor 110 (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection). The processor 110 can form part of an apparatus, such as a computing device, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a wearable device, an interactive mirror, or a server. In some examples, the processor 110 and one or more sensors 108 can form part of or be included in the same apparatus or device. The processor 110 can be connected to or otherwise in communication with a storage device 112, such as a memory (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection). In some examples, the storage device 112 and the processor 110 can be located within the same apparatus or device. The storage device 112 can be configured to receive and store data from the processor 110, such as data obtained using one or more of the sensors 108. The storage device 112 can be configured to store reference data that can be used by the processor 110 to compare with data obtained using one or more of the sensors 108.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the processor 110 may include or utilize a comparison module 114 and an analysis module 116. The functionality of the processor 110 is described in more detail below. In general, however, the processor 110 (e.g., the comparison module 114) compares data received from one or more of the sensors 108 to reference data stored in the storage device 112 and detects any significant deviations of the measured data from the reference data. Specifically, the processor 110 or the comparison module 114 determines whether the measured data differs from the reference data by more than a defined threshold amount. If a deviation from the reference data is detected or identified, the processor 110 may cause a request for user input to be generated.

[0035] In some embodiments, the reference data stored in the storage device 112 may include data expected from “normal” or “optimal” use of the personal care device 102. For example, the reference data may represent data that would be obtained for the personal care device 102 under ideal circumstances if the personal care device 102 were used in the manner intended by the manufacturer during that instance of use. For example, in the case of a shaving device, the reference data may include the “ideal” speed at which the shaving device should move across the user's skin and the “ideal” force with which the shaving device should be applied to the user's skin. In other embodiments, the reference data may include historical data obtained for the personal care device 102 and / or the user. For example, data obtained during one or more instances of use of the personal care device 102 by the user may be recorded and stored in the storage device 112, and this historical data may be used as the reference data. In some examples, the reference data may include an average of historical data obtained over multiple instances of use and / or over a defined period of time (e.g., a week, a month, etc.). In this way, data obtained during each new instance of use can be compared to data representative of the user's average performance, allowing the processor 110 to detect if the user is using the device in an atypical manner. In some embodiments, the measured data can be compared to two sets of reference data: a first set of reference data representative of "optimal" use of the personal care device 102, and a second set of reference data representative of historical usage data for the personal care device / user.

[0036] Deviations from the baseline data can occur for several reasons. As mentioned above, deviations can simply result from the user operating the personal care device 102 in a manner that is different from normal (e.g., average) or optimal. In other examples, deviations can be detected because the thresholds against which the comparison is made are inappropriate or need to be changed. Changes in the user's environment or context can also lead to deviations from the baseline data. For example, if the user visits another location with higher humidity, this can affect the user's ability to shave effectively, potentially resulting in increased skin irritation compared to a lower humidity environment.

[0037] Requests for user input may be provided to the user via user interface 118. User interface 118 may comprise one or more of a display, a touchscreen, a speaker, or any other device capable of presenting information to the user. In some embodiments, user interface 118 may further comprise a mechanism by which the user can input information. For example, user interface 118 may comprise a touchscreen, a keyboard, a microphone, or any other device capable of receiving information from the user.

[0038] According to one aspect, a device is provided. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of the device 200. The device 200 can be considered a device for interacting with a user of a personal care device, such as the personal care device 102. The device 200 includes a processor, such as the processor 110 described herein. The processor 110 is configured to receive device usage data indicative of how the personal care device is used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device, the device usage data relating to one or more of a defined set of device usage parameters. The device usage data can be obtained using one or more of the sensors 108 described above, including sensors located on or within the personal care device 102 and / or sensors located externally to the personal care device. Each device usage parameter to which the device usage data relates can include the movement of the personal care device 102; the pressure exerted by the personal care device on a surface of the user's body; the speed of movement of the personal care device; and the direction of movement of the personal care device. The movement, speed, and direction of movement of the personal care device 102 may be measured in some embodiments using components such as an IMU, which may include an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and / or a combination of sensors for measuring these parameters. The pressure applied by the personal care device 102 to the surface of the user's body may be measured in some embodiments using a pressure sensor or a force sensor, as described above. In some embodiments, data related to one or more of the device usage parameters may be measured using other sensors 108, such as a camera. In some embodiments, data may be obtained using a combination of sensors 108. For example, the direction of movement of a shaving device may be measured to determine whether the user is moving the shaving device in line with or against the grain direction (i.e., growth direction) of the beard. The grain direction may be determined using data obtained by a camera, and the direction of movement of the shaving device may be obtained using an IMU located within the shaving device.

[0039] The processor 110 is also configured to receive performance data indicative of the outcome of the instance of use, the performance data relating to one or more of a defined set of performance parameters. The performance data can be obtained using one or more of the sensors 108 described above, including sensors located on or within the personal care device 102 and / or sensors located external to the personal care device. Each performance parameter to which the performance data relates can include a parameter related to the outcome of the personal care activity being performed. For example, if an oral care activity such as brushing is being performed, the performance parameters can include an indication of damaged or reddened gums, an indication of bleeding gums, an indication of dirt / debris remaining on the teeth, etc. As described above, in some embodiments, the personal care device 102 can include a shaving device. In such an example, each outcome parameter can include one of: the closeness of a shave achieved using the shaving device; an indication of skin irritation resulting from the instance of use; and an indication of skin redness resulting from the instance of use.

[0040] Processor 110 is configured to generate a user input prompt to be presented to the user in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from stored reference device usage data and stored reference performance data, respectively, by more than a defined threshold. Thus, processor 110 may be configured to compare the received device usage data with the stored reference device usage data and to compare the received performance data with the stored reference performance data. If either comparison results in a difference that exceeds a defined threshold, a user input prompt is generated. For example, processor 110 may generate a user input prompt if it determines that the received device usage data (e.g., the speed at which the shaving device is moved across the user's face) differs (e.g., faster or slower) from the stored reference device usage data (e.g., a stored reference speed indicating the average speed at which the user moved the shaving device during past usage instances) by more than a defined threshold amount (e.g., by more than + / - 20 cm / s or + / - 10%). In another example, processor 110 may generate a user input request if it determines that received performance data (e.g., an indication of the redness of a user's skin following an instance of use) differs (e.g., is redder) from stored baseline performance data (e.g., an indication of the average redness of a user's skin following past instances of use) by more than a defined threshold amount (e.g., more than a defined amount of redness indicated using a color chart or colorimeter). Thresholds, amounts, or ranges may be defined for each type of device usage data and performance data. In this manner, received device usage data may be compared to stored baseline device usage data with respect to device usage thresholds, and received performance data may be compared to stored baseline performance data with respect to performance thresholds. In some examples, processor 110 may generate guidance to be presented to a user, for example, if received device usage data deviates from an average of historical data.

[0041] The comparison of the received data with stored reference data may, in some examples, be performed using the comparison module 114 described above. The analysis module 116 can be considered to perform more than just comparing data; for example, the analysis module may analyze the received data and the stored reference data to detect potential errors in the received data (i.e., indicative of a fault in one or more of the sensors 108) and / or to detect potential errors in the comparison module 114 or the model used by the analysis module. For example, such a model may receive device usage data and performance data as input, and the model may be configured to analyze the data in a particular way (e.g., using different weights for different types of data and / or relying more heavily on some types of data than others in particular situations). Such a model may also use algorithms, logic, or rule-based processing to determine what to ask the user (e.g., what type of user input to provide).

[0042] When processor 110 detects a deviation of the received data from the stored reference data, it generates a request for user input from the user. The request for user information is provided to the user, for example, via user interface 118. In some embodiments, the user input request may include a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data. For example, if the received device usage data indicates that the user moved the shaving device particularly quickly across their face, the user input request may include a request for confirmation that the user did in fact move the shaving device faster than usual. If the user provides a response confirming faster-than-normal movement of the shaving device, the user may be provided with advice to improve their use of the shaving device, for example, to move the shaving device more slowly. However, if the user provides a response denying that they moved the shaving device faster than usual, processor 110 may determine that one or more of sensors 108 is suspected to be malfunctioning or that sensor settings should be modified.

[0043] In some embodiments, the user input request may include a request for an indication of the user's perceived results of the use instance related to one or more of the defined perceived performance parameters. For example, it may be useful to receive an indication from the user about how they feel the personal care activity went, including an indication of the user's opinion about the results of the personal care activity. In an example where an oral care activity, such as brushing teeth, is being performed, the user may be asked to provide an indication of the perceived results of the oral care activity based on perceived performance parameters, such as an indication of whether their gums hurt, whether their gums bleed, how clean their teeth feel, etc. In an example where the personal care device 102 includes a shaving device and the user uses the shaving device to perform a shaving operation, each perceived performance parameter may include one of: the perceived closeness of the shave achieved using the shaving device; an indication of perceived skin irritation resulting from the use instance; and an indication of perceived comfort after the use instance. Thus, in some examples, the perceived performance parameters may correspond to received / measured performance parameters.

[0044] In response to providing a request for user input, the user can provide input using the user interface 118. In some examples, the user can type or speak a response into the user interface. In other examples, the user can be presented with a list of options and provide a response by selecting one or more of the presented options. For example, the user can be asked to indicate whether the shaving device feels like it is applying more pressure than normal, the same amount of pressure as normal, or less pressure than normal to the user's face. Based on the response provided by the user (i.e., user input), the processor 110 can perform actions such as making adjustments to the model parameters or to the established thresholds. Thus, in some embodiments, the processor 110 can be further configured to receive user input related to an instance of use of the personal care device 102 and adjust the established threshold amount according to the received user input. For example, if a measured parameter (e.g., the speed of movement of the shaving device) is determined to be regularly different from the user's average speed, but the user-provided input indicates that the user does not feel like they are moving the device any differently than normal, it can be determined that the sensitivity should be changed. Thus, the threshold amount established for that parameter may be adjusted (eg, increased).

[0045] Some situations that result in the processor 110 requesting input from the user may be referred to as error or fault results. Specifically, such situations may be considered to arise from imperfections in the model used to analyze the data by the processor 110 or when the model provides an output that differs from what was predicted (e.g., an indication that the user is pressing the personal care device 102 too hard against their face). In some embodiments, the model used by the processor 110 (or analysis module 116) may provide an output with a confidence level or associated probability of the output. If the confidence level or probability of the output is low, the user may be asked to provide input to increase the confidence level of the model's output or, conversely, to cause a change in the model to increase the confidence level of future outputs. As previously mentioned, the user may be asked to provide input if the received data indicates that the user's behavior (e.g., from device usage data) deviates from usual behavior (e.g., from an average calculated from stored reference data). In some examples, anomaly detection techniques may be used to detect deviations.

[0046] In some embodiments, user input may be requested if device usage data changes during an instance of use. For example, if a user is detected to brush the teeth on one side of their mouth differently from how they brush the teeth on the other side of their mouth, or if a user shaves one side of their face differently from the other, a fault may be suspected and the user may be asked to provide input. Thus, stored data may include data related to the same instance of use.

[0047] In other embodiments, a defect may be suspected when the user's environment changes (e.g., the user is in a different location, such as on vacation). The change in environment can be determined using context data. Thus, in some embodiments, the processor 110 may be configured to receive context data indicative of the environment of the user of the personal care device 102 during an instance of use. The context data may be obtained using one or more of the sensors 108. In some embodiments, the context data may include an indication of geographic location, temperature, an indication of local weather, humidity, etc. The processor 110 may be configured to generate a user input request in response to a determination that the context data differs from stored reference context data by more than a defined threshold amount. In some embodiments, reference context data, such as data indicative of the usual environment in which a user performs personal care activities, may be stored in the storage device 112. The reference context data may include, for example, context data obtained during a previous instance of device use.

[0048] As previously mentioned, the user may also be requested to provide input if it is detected that there is room for improvement in the performance of the personal care operation. In some embodiments, room for improvement may be determined by comparing received usage data with reference data indicative of desirable performance (e.g., performance intended by the personal care device manufacturer or performance preferred by the user). For example, the user may specify a preferred razor cotton density before commencing a shaving operation, and if a difference is detected between data indicative of the razor cotton density measured during the use instance and data indicative of the user's preferred razor cotton density, a delta may be calculated. The delta may be viewed as an indication of possible improvements available to the user.

[0049] In some embodiments, storage device 112 may be located remotely relative to device 200, with processor 110 of the device accessing the storage device via a network connection. However, in other embodiments, device 200 may include a storage device, such as storage device 112. Processor 110 may be configured to store one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data in storage device 112. In this manner, processor 110 may locally access storage device 112. Device 200, in some embodiments, may further include one or more sensors (e.g., sensor 108) configured to acquire device usage data and / or performance data.

[0050] Various exemplary use cases for the device 200 are described below. [Example]

[0051] In a first exemplary use case, a user performs a personal care activity using a shaving device. Sensor 108 measures device usage data indicating that the user moved the shaving device faster than the average movement speed for the previous week. Sensor 108 also measures performance data indicating that the thoroughness of the shaving has decreased compared to the average thoroughness measured for the previous week. Comparison with previously recorded data can be performed using comparison module 114 of processor 110, and analysis module 116 of the processor can perform further analysis to determine an action to take (e.g., a message to be communicated to the user). In some embodiments, the analysis can be performed using rule-based processing, while in other embodiments, the analysis can be performed using machine learning algorithms. In this example, a rule-based database can be used to account for an increase in the movement speed of the shaving device and a decrease in the cotton density of the shaving device. In one example, such a rule in the rule-based database might be:

[0052] If a correlation between clean shave and speed is found, output the following guidance: "You were moving [average delta of speed] faster than last week; however, your clean shave result decreased by [average delta of clean shave]. Try moving more slowly."

[0053] Thus, according to one example, the following guidance may be provided to the user:

[0054] "You were moving 50% faster than last week; however, your clean shave results decreased by 30%. Try moving more slowly."

[0055] Alternatively, the user may be presented with a request to rate the shave, for example by providing an idea of ​​how clean the shave was on a continuous scale. In response to the user's input, thresholds and / or settings of the sensors used to measure the closeness of the shave may be adjusted. [Example]

[0056] In a second exemplary use case in which a user uses a shaving device to perform a personal care activity, sensor 108 measures device usage data indicating that the user applied significantly more pressure to the left side of the chin than the right side of the chin. Sensor 108 also measures performance data indicating a slight increase in skin irritation on the left side of the user's chin. Again, a comparison with previously recorded data may be performed using comparison module 114 of processor 110. The model used by processor 110 (e.g., by analysis module 116) may not be entirely confident that there is a correlation between increased pressure and increased skin irritation, and therefore, it may be determined that user input should be requested. Thus, processor 110 generates the following prompt to be provided to the user: "You put more pressure on the left side of your jaw. Do you feel any irritation on the left side of your jaw after shaving? a) Feeling irritation b) I feel a little irritation c) No stimulation at all

[0057] Depending on the answer provided by the user, processor 110 can update the threshold for when to request user input and / or adjust the sensitivity of one or more of sensors 108. In instances where a machine learning algorithm (or some other predictive model or artificial intelligence technique) is used for the analysis, one or more parameters (e.g., weights) of the algorithm can be adapted. If the user answers "c) I don't feel any irritation," processor 110 may cause the ground truth used in the model (or used by analysis module 116) to be overwritten and / or perform some method of updating the model, such as backpropagation. However, if the user answers "a) I feel irritation," no update of the model is required. Instead, the user may be provided with a recommendation to change their shaving technique (e.g., apply less pressure) when shaving the left side of their chin. [Example]

[0058] In a third exemplary use case, a user is performing a personal care activity, again using a shaving device. In this example, sensor 108 measures device usage data that indicates the user is applying significantly less pressure to their face compared to pressure applied during the user's previous instances of use. Processor 110 then: “Have you shaved?” Generate a question to be provided to the user:

[0059] If the user provides input indicating that they are not shaving, this will confirm the decision made based on the measurements. However, if the user's input indicates that they are shaving, the parameters of the model may be updated so that future similar pressure measurements are recognized as corresponding to instances of use of the shaving device. [Example]

[0060] In a fourth example, where a user is again using a shaving device to perform a personal care activity, sensor 108 measures device usage data that indicates that the shaving device is applying significantly more pressure to the user's face, while the sensor measures performance data that does not indicate any signs of skin irritation. "It seems like you're applying more pressure than normal; do you notice any skin irritation?" Generate a question to be provided to the user:

[0061] If the user responds "yes," the processor 110 may cause settings and / or thresholds for one or more of the sensors 108 (e.g., the sensor measuring applied pressure and / or the sensor measuring apparent skin irritation) to be adjusted. However, if the user responds "no," the parameters of the model may be updated so that future measurements of similar pressures do not result in suspected skin irritation.

[0062] From the above discussion, it is clear that a decision to request user input can be made when one or more of the measured data exceeds the corresponding reference data by more than a defined threshold. However, embodiments of the present invention also enable a decision to be made regarding what input should be requested from the user (e.g., what should be queried from the user). For example, if the sensor 108 detects differences in multiple measured parameters relative to the corresponding reference data, a decision is made regarding which parameters should be queried from the user. For example, the sensor 108 may be used to measure pressure, movement speed, and skin irritation for a shaving device use instance. Table 1 below shows examples of three different use instances in which the measured data may indicate that each parameter is higher / larger than normal (+), the same as normal (0), or lower / smaller than normal (-).

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] In Use Instance 1, the measured data indicates that despite the increased pressure, the movement rate and signs of skin irritation remain the same as normal. Therefore, in this example, the user may be asked to provide input regarding the applied pressure (e.g., by asking the user if they actually applied more pressure and / or if they experienced a different sensation), so that this measurement can be confirmed and appropriate action can be taken (e.g., changing the parameters of the model or changing the sensitivity of the sensor).

[0065] In use instance 2, the measurement data shows that despite the increased pressure, the movement speed is the same as normal, while the signs of skin irritation are lower than normal. This result is surprising, so the user may be asked to provide input regarding the skin irritation measurement, for example to check that the skin irritation sensor is working.

[0066] In use instance 3, the measurement data indicates that the pressure applied by the user is the same as normal, but the movement speed and signs of skin irritation are both greater than normal. In this example, the user may be asked to provide input regarding the movement speed of the personal care device 102, for example, to check whether the user has actually increased the movement speed of the device and whether this is associated with increased skin irritation.

[0067] In other examples, candidate measurements that form the basis of the user input request may be selected based on statistical parameters such as standard deviation / measurement error (e.g., the larger the standard deviation / measurement error, the more likely the measurement should be selected), or based on knowledge of cause and effect (e.g., increased pressure may cause greater skin irritation), allowing the effect to be confirmed by the user.

[0068] According to another aspect, a system is provided. An example of such a system 100 is shown in FIG. 1 , discussed above. The system 100 includes one or more sensors 108 for acquiring device usage data and performance data. The device usage data is indicative of how a personal care device 102 is used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device. The performance data is indicative of the results of the instance of use. The system 100 also includes a storage module (e.g., storage device 112) for storing baseline device usage data and baseline performance data. As discussed above, the baseline data may include data indicative of the intended use / performance of the personal care device 102 and / or data indicative of the average use / performance of the personal care device by a user during previous instances of use (e.g., over a defined period of time). The system 100 also includes a comparison module 114 for comparing acquired device usage data with stored baseline device usage data and for comparing acquired performance data with stored performance data. The system 100 also includes a user interface 118 for presenting user input requests to the user. The user input request may be presented in response to determining that the acquired device usage data differs from the stored baseline device usage data by more than a first defined threshold amount or that the acquired performance data differs from the stored baseline performance data by more than a second defined threshold amount, where the first and second defined threshold amounts may include absolute values, relative values, percentages, or ranges.

[0069] According to another aspect, a method is provided. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method 300, such as a method for interacting with a user of a personal care device 102. Method 300 may include a computer-implemented method. At step 302, method 300 includes receiving device usage data indicative of how the personal care device 102 is being used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device, the device usage data relating to one or more of a defined set of device usage parameters. At step 304, method 300 includes receiving performance data indicative of an outcome of the instance of use, the performance data relating to one or more of the defined set of performance parameters. The device usage data and / or performance data may be received from one or more of the sensors 108 described herein. At step 306, method 300 includes generating a user input request to be presented to the user in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from stored baseline device usage data and stored baseline performance data, respectively, by more than a defined threshold amount.

[0070] 4 is a flowchart of another example method 400, such as a method for interacting with a user of a personal care device 102. The method 400 may also include a computer-implemented method and may include one or more steps of the method 300 described above.

[0071] The user input request generated in step 306 may be presented to the user via user interface 118. According to various embodiments, the user input request may include at least one of: a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data; and a request for information indicative of the user's perceived results of the usage instance related to one or more of the defined set of perceived performance parameters. In some examples, the method may include generating guidance (e.g., suggestions) to be presented to the user, for example, when the received device usage data deviates from an average of the historical data.

[0072] The user may provide input in response to the user input request via the user interface 118 or via any other suitable input device. At step 402, method 400 may include receiving user input related to an instance of use of the personal care device. For example, the received user input may confirm one or more of received device usage data and received performance data, and / or the received user input may indicate a user-perceived outcome of the instance of use. Method 400 may further include, at step 404, adjusting the established threshold amount according to the received user input. For example, if it is determined, based on the user input, that the current threshold amount results in user input requests being generated too frequently, the threshold amount may be adjusted.

[0073] The user input request may include a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data. In another example, the user input request may include a request for an indication of the user's perceived results of the instance of use related to one or more of the defined set of perceived performance parameters.

[0074] In an example where the personal care device is a shaving device, each perceived performance parameter comprises a result parameter selected from the group comprising: a perceived closeness of a shave achieved using the shaving device; any perceived indication of skin irritation resulting from the instance of use; and an indication of perceived comfort after the instance of use. Similarly, in an example where the personal care device is a shaving device, each result parameter may comprise a result parameter selected from the group comprising: a perceived closeness of a shave achieved using the shaving device; any indication of skin irritation resulting from the instance of use; and any indication of skin redness resulting from the instance of use.

[0075] Each device use parameter may include a use parameter selected from the group consisting of: movement of the personal care device; pressure applied by the personal care device to the surface of the user's body; speed of movement of the personal care device; and direction of movement of the personal care device.

[0076] In other examples, methods 300, 400 may include other steps corresponding to functions performed by various components (e.g., processor 110) described herein. For example, method 400 may further include receiving context data indicative of an environment of a user of the personal care device during the instance of use at step 406. At step 408, method 400 may further include generating a user input request in response to determining that the context data differs from the stored reference context data by more than a defined threshold amount.

[0077] In step 410, method 400 may include, in response to determining that one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data differ from the stored baseline device usage data and the stored baseline performance data, respectively, with respect to two or more device usage or performance parameters by more than a defined threshold amount, generating a user input prompt to be presented to a user, the user input prompt being for the device usage or performance parameter corresponding to the greatest determined difference. For example, as shown above in Table 1, if the received data differs from the stored data with respect to multiple parameters, the user may be asked to provide input with respect to the parameter with the greatest difference, as this is deemed to be the most important issue to address.

[0078] In some embodiments, at least one of the stored baseline device usage data and the stored baseline performance data includes data related to at least one previous instance of device use of the personal care device by a user, for example, data measured during each instance of use by a user may be stored and used as baseline data for comparison with data measured in future instances of use.

[0079] According to another aspect, a computer program product is provided. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a processor 502 in communication with a computer-readable medium 504. According to various embodiments, the computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium 504 having computer-readable code embodied therein that, when executed by a suitable computer or processor 502, causes the computer or processor to perform the steps of the methods 300, 400 disclosed herein. The processor 502 may include or be similar to the processor 110 described above.

[0080] The processor 110, 502 may comprise one or more processors, processing units, multi-core processors, or modules configured or programmed to control the device 200 in the manner described herein. In particular implementations, the processor 110, 502 may comprise multiple software and / or hardware modules each configured to or for performing individual or multiple steps of the methods described herein.

[0081] As used herein, the term "module" is intended to include a hardware component, such as a processor or a component of a processor, configured to perform a particular function, or a software component, such as a group of instructions that have a particular function when executed by a processor.

[0082] It will be understood that embodiments of the present invention also apply to computer programs, particularly those on or in a carrier, adapted to carry out the present invention. The program may be in the form of source code, object code, source and object intermediate code, such as partially compiled form, or any other form suitable for use in implementing the method according to embodiments of the invention. It will also be understood that such programs may have many different architectural designs. For example, program code implementing the functionality of a method or system according to the present invention may be subdivided into one or more subroutines. Many different ways of distributing functionality among these subroutines will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The subroutines may be stored together in an executable file to form a self-contained program. Such an executable file may contain computer-executable instructions, such as processor instructions and / or interpreter instructions (e.g., Java interpreter instructions). Alternatively, one or more or all of the subroutines may be stored in at least one external library file and linked to the main program, for example, statically or dynamically, at run time. The main program contains at least one call to at least one of the subroutines. The subroutines may also contain function calls to each other. An embodiment of a computer program product includes computer-executable instructions corresponding to each processing step of at least one of the methods described herein. These instructions may be subdivided into subroutines and / or stored in one or more files, which may be statically or dynamically linked. Another embodiment of a computer program product includes computer-executable instructions corresponding to each means of at least one of the systems and / or products described herein. These instructions may be subdivided into subroutines and / or stored in one or more files, which may be statically or dynamically linked.

[0083] The carrier of a computer program may be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the carrier may comprise a data storage unit such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a semiconductor ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a hard disk. Furthermore, the carrier may be a transmissible carrier, such as an electric or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electric or optical cable or by radio or by other means. When the program is embodied in such a signal, the carrier may be constituted by such a cable or other device or means. Alternatively, the carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is embedded, the integrated circuit being adapted for, or used for, performing the relevant method.

[0084] Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the principles and techniques described herein, by studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprise" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the singular does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain means are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these means cannot be used to advantage. A computer program can be stored or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, as well as in other forms of distribution, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless communication systems. Reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method for interacting with a user of a personal care device, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving device usage data indicative of how the personal care device is being used by the user during an instance of use of the personal care device, the device usage data relating to one or more of a defined set of device usage parameters; receiving performance data indicative of results of said instance of use, said performance data relating to one or more of a defined set of performance parameters; generating a user input request to be presented to the user in response to determining that the received device usage data differs from stored baseline device usage data by more than a first defined threshold amount or that the received performance data differs from stored baseline performance data by more than a second defined threshold amount; wherein the user input request includes a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data.

2. receiving user input regarding an instance of use of the personal care device; adjusting the determined threshold amount according to the received user input; The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

3. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request for user input includes a request for information indicative of the user's perceived results of the instance of use with respect to one or more of a defined set of perceived performance parameters.

4. the personal care device comprises a shaving device; each perceived performance parameter includes an outcome parameter selected from the group consisting of a perceived closeness of a shave achieved with the shaving device, any perceived indication of skin irritation resulting from the instance of use, and an indication of perceived comfort after the instance of use; The computer-implemented method of claim 3.

5. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each device usage parameter comprises a usage parameter selected from the group consisting of the movement of the personal care device, the pressure applied by the personal care device to the surface of the user's body, the speed of movement of the personal care device, and the direction of movement of the personal care device.

6. the personal care device comprises a shaving device; the group includes symptoms of skin redness resulting from the instance of use; 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4.

7. receiving context data indicative of an environment of a user of the personal care device during the instance of use; generating a user input request in response to determining that the context data differs from recorded reference context data by more than a defined threshold amount; The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

8. generating a user input request to be presented to the user in response to determining that the received device usage data differs from stored reference device usage data by more than a first determined threshold amount or that the received performance data differs from stored reference performance data by more than a second determined threshold amount, the user input request relating to the device usage parameter or performance parameter corresponding to the largest determined difference; The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

9. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the stored baseline device usage data and the stored baseline performance data includes data regarding at least one previous instance of device use of the personal care device by the user.

10. A device for interacting with a user of a personal care device, the device having a processor configured to perform the steps of the computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Further comprising a storage device; the processor stores one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data in the storage device; 11. The apparatus of claim 10.

12. 12. The device of claim 10 or claim 11, further comprising one or more sensors for obtaining said device usage data and / or said performance data.

13. one or more sensors for acquiring device usage data indicative of how the personal care device is used by a user during an instance of use of the personal care device and performance data indicative of an outcome of the instance of use; a storage module for storing baseline device usage data and baseline performance data; a comparison module for comparing the acquired equipment usage data with the stored baseline equipment usage data and for comparing the acquired performance data with the stored baseline performance data; a user interface for presenting a user input request in response to determining that the acquired device usage data differs from the stored baseline device usage data by more than a first defined threshold amount or that the acquired performance data differs from the stored baseline performance data by more than a second defined threshold amount; and wherein the user input request includes a request for confirmation of one or more of the received device usage data and the received performance data.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code, when executed by a suitable computer or processor, causing the computer or processor to perform the computer-implemented method of any one of claims 1 to 9.

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