Toothbrush With Sensors

• US 20170135464A1
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Knickerbocker, John U., Zafar, Sufi, Lu, Minhua
• Granted Patent: US 10,258,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/002 pressurised at moment of use manually or by powered means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0004 with a controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0044 with light signalling means A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/08 Other accessories, e.g. scrapers, rubber buffers for preventing damage to furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Smart toothbrush designs are provided. In one aspect, a toothbrush is provided which includes: a handle portion; and a head portion attached to the handle portion, wherein the head portion has bristles, a sample testing chamber containing at least one electronic sensor, a removable tip for drawing saliva samples into the sample testing chamber, and a calibration solution reservoir connected to the sample testing chamber. In another aspect, the head portion of the toothbrush has at least one optical sensor. A method for acquiring user data using the present smart toothbrush designs is also provided.

Claims

1. A toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion; and

a head portion attached to the handle portion, wherein the head portion comprises bristles, a sample testing chamber containing at least one electronic sensor, a removable tip for drawing saliva samples into the sample testing chamber, and a calibration solution reservoir connected to the sample testing chamber.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the head portion further comprises a shutter for regulating fluid flow into and out of the sample testing chamber via the removable tip.

3. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the head portion further comprises:

a pump system for drawing i) the saliva samples via the removable tip and ii) a calibration solution from the calibration solution reservoir into the sample testing chamber.

4. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the calibration solution comprises a known amount of sodium chloride at a controlled pH.

5. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the removal tip comprises a filter.

6. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the electronic sensor comprises a bipolar junction transistor (BTJ)-based sensor.

7. The toothbrush of claim 6, wherein the electronic sensor comprises:

a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT); and

an extended base.

8. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the extended base comprises:

a sensing surface; and

a reference electrode.

9. The toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the sensing surface comprises at least one of titanium nitride (TiN) for pH sensing, silver (Ag) for chloride ion sensing, gold (Au) coated with a layer of bio-molecules.

10. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the handle portion comprises a readout display.

11. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the head portion further comprises:

at least one optical sensor.

12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the optical sensor comprises:

a light source; and

an optical detector.

13. The toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

14. The toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the optical detector is a camera or a spectrometer.

15. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the optical sensor is mounted on a deformable foam platform on the head portion.

16. A toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion; and

a head portion attached to the handle portion, wherein the head portion comprises bristles, and at least one optical sensor.

17. The toothbrush of claim 16, wherein the head portion further comprises:

a sample testing chamber containing at least one electronic sensor, a removable tip for drawing saliva samples into the sample testing chamber, and a calibration solution reservoir connected to the sample testing chamber.

18. A method for acquiring user data, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting data from a user during toothbrushing using a toothbrush comprising a handle portion and a head portion attached to the handle portion, wherein the head portion comprises bristles, a sample testing chamber containing at least one electronic sensor, a removable tip for drawing saliva samples into the sample testing chamber, and a calibration solution reservoir connected to the sample testing chamber;

analyzing the data; and

providing feedback based on the analyzed data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the collecting step comprises the steps of:

drawing a calibration solution from the solution reservoir into the sample testing chamber;

taking readings of calibration solution using the electronic sensor;

ejecting the calibration solution from the sample testing chamber;

drawing a saliva sample into the sample testing chamber via the removable tip;

taking readings of the saliva sample using the electronic sensor;

ejecting the saliva sample from the sample testing chamber; and

drawing fresh calibration from the solution reservoir into the sample testing chamber.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the head portion of the toothbrush further comprises at least one optical sensor, the optical sensor comprising a light source and an optical detector, the method further comprising the steps of:

applying a dye to a tooth surface of the user;

emitting light onto the tooth surface using the light source; and

detecting the light reflected off of the tooth surface using the optical detector to reveal portions of the tooth surface containing the dye.