Along with some rather unnerving, spinning pieces of metal, our dentists are always drilling into us the importance of a proper brushing technique. Some of us, however, would be guilty of cutting a corner or two in our time, perhaps before rushing out the door in the morning or after dozing off on the couch at night. Aiming to make sure we always uphold the gold standard of oral hygiene is Kolibree, a French start-up whose smart toothbrush is designed to track your brushing efforts to make sure you're hitting those harder to reach places.
Kolibree newest contribution to the Internet of Things is fitted with an accelerometer, gyroscope and a magnetometer, which the company says allows the device to record data, such as the time, duration and frequency of the brush, along with which teeth are properly cleaned, and those that are being neglected.
This information is in turn sent via Bluetooth to a companion smartphone app, allowing the user to monitor their brushing habits and share them with their family or dentist (or if they prefer, keep them to themselves).
Kolibree isn't alone in the world of connected toothbrushes. Back in 2012 we looked at the Bluetooth-connected Beam toothbrush, which similarly tracks brushing habits through a smartphone app to promote healthier teeth and gums. The main point of difference for the Kolibree, however, is that it's an electric tooth brush powered by rechargeable battery, whereas the Beam requires manual brushing.
With a Kickstarter campaign set to launch in the near future, Kolibree says it aims to begin shipping its toothbrush in the third quarter of 2014. The mobile app will be free and compatible with Bluetooth 3.0 equipped iOS and Android devices, while various models of the toothbrush will be available at prices ranging from US$99 to $200.
Source: Kolibree