Oral Care Brush Head Localization Using Pressure Pattern Anchors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for tracking the location of an oral care device within a user's mouth fail to differentiate between head movements and device movements, leading to inaccurate feedback during oral hygiene routines.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a pressure sensor in the oral care device to detect the location and orientation of the brush head within the user's mouth, combined with a controller that analyzes pressure patterns and motion sensor data to distinguish between head and device movements, providing precise localization and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If inertial motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors) are used to track the location of the oral care device, then the absolute movement of the device can be measured, but the relative movement of the device relative to the user's head cannot be detected when the user moves their head
Solution Approach 1:
A head-mounted sensor unit is introduced as an intermediary to detect head movements. This separate sensor unit, positioned on the user's head, serves as a reference frame that mediates between the oral care device and the user's head, enabling the system to distinguish between head movements and device movements by comparing sensor data from both the device and the head-mounted unit.
2Productivity
If only the oral care device is tracked without reference to head movements, then the device location can be determined, but inaccurate feedback is provided when the user moves their head during the oral care routine
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors both device position and head position through sensor data, processing this information to determine the relative position of the device with respect to the user's head. This feedback mechanism provides real-time information about the device's location relative to the head, enabling accurate feedback during the oral care routine even when the user moves their head.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables improved precision in tracking the oral care device's location and orientation, even when the user is moving, thereby enhancing the evaluation of brushing technique and providing accurate feedback.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor configured to generate pressure sensor data and a pressure signal
Implementation Method 2
an inertial motion sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the inertial motion sensor is configured to provide motion sensor data
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of determining a location of a brush head within a user's mouth during an oral care routine are provided. Example systems and methods involve: determining, during a learning phase, anchor points defining a quadrant of the mouth of the user and a pressure pattern based on pressure sensor data from a pressure sensor; wherein the pressure pattern includes at least two peaks corresponding to the first or second anchor points or a tooth; generating, during the oral care routine, a pressure signal including at least one peak, a longitudinal component indicating a direction the brush head is moving, and a transverse component indicating an amount of pressure being exerted; analyzing the pressure signal based on the anchor points and the pressure pattern determined during the learning phase; and estimating one or more locations of the brush head within the defined quadrant during the oral care routine.