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PARIS, France: A French company has introduced a novel electric toothbrush that analyses users’ brushing habits and displays them on their smartphone. The device, called Kolibree, is meant to improve peoples’ brushing behaviour by tracking frequency, brushing time and brushing zones. If desired, the data captured can be shared with the dentist or family.
According to the manufacturer, Kolibree is an easy and quick way to monitor whether one is brushing well. The developers of Kolibree were inspired by the hummingbird or Colibri, a small bird that hovers in mid-air by rapidly flapping its wings 12 to 80 times per second. “Although electric toothbrushes do not yet fly, their vibrations create a similar humming sound that inspired us,” they stated.
The toothbrush comes with a free mobile app. Users connect their Kolibree to their phone via Bluetooth and every brushing is recorded. The data automatically synchronises to the iOS or Android smartphone, telling the user whether he or she brushed for long enough and reached the difficult-to-access but important parts of the teeth and gums. Kolibree rewards progress and cheers the user on when he or she is improving, allocating points to kids to encourage them to improve their brushing habits. It even offers gameplay to keep them motivated.
Designed for families, the app works with several toothbrushes, so the entire family can participate. With just one account, several users can be added and their data collected from different toothbrushes. The manufacturer, also named Kolibree, does not recommend sharing the toothbrush with other people, as the toothbrush would record all brushing as that of one person. However, it is possible to unpair the toothbrush to avoid recording the wrong information.
When the toothbrush is paired to the smartphone, users can view in real time how they are brushing and download everything from the toothbrush to their phone. A quick pairing once a week will ensure that no data is lost.
The toothbrush is waterproof and has a non-replaceable battery with a lifespan of about two years. Toothbrush heads should be changed as soon as the bristles are no longer rigid. Future versions of the Kolibree will advise the user when to change it, the manufacturer stated.
The Kolibree connected toothbrush will be ready for pre-order this summer. Orders will be available initially through the American crowd funding platform Kickstarter and can be shipped worldwide. The price of a Kolibree will range from US$99 to US$200 (€72 to €147), depending on the model, and will include the free mobile app.
From the fourth quarter of 2014, Kolibree products, including brush heads, will also be available in shops in a number of major cities. A set of three brush heads will cost around US$18 (€13).
