Abstract: A mount for an oral appliance. The mount comprises one or more holes that are configured to, when the mount is stretched in a first direction, cause a further deformation of the mount in at least one other direction, for example, to cause a bending or folding of the mount to improve clamping and conformation of the mount to oral tissues.

Abstract: A processor and method for detecting pain and non-pain arousal responsive to physical stimuli applied to oral surfaces of a subject. A biological signal such as skin conductance, or another physiological parameter, can be used as a proxy measure for acute pain and/or non-pain arousal. The instances of mechanical engagement with the oral surfaces can be detected or tracked. Differential detection of pain vs non-pain arousal is achieved based on assessing signal synchronization or correlation between the biological signal and the oral contact events.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an apparatus (100) comprising a sweat sensing component (102) for measuring a parameter relating to sweat generated by sweat glands of a subject; a sweat transport channel (104); and a sweat redirecting component (106) comprising a responsive material whose form is configured to change in response to a stimulus, so as to redirect sweat and control an amount of sweat able to be transported to the sweat sensing component (102) via the sweat transport channel (104), wherein the sweat redirecting component is positioned at an outlet of the sweat transport channel, such that, in a first configuration, the form of the responsive material is such that the sweat redirecting component prevents the passage of sweat through the outlet, and directs the passage of sweat to the sweat sensing component; and, in a second configuration, the form of the responsive material is such that the sweat redirecting component permits the passage of sweat through the outlet.

Abstract: A wear-out assessment for an oral care system (14) (e.g. an oral cleaning device) is disclosed. A sensor unit (16) of the oral care system is adapted to provide a sensor signal related to a cleaning efficacy of a cleaning function of the oral care system when generated when the oral care system is inside a user's mouth. The sensor unit (16) may be, or may be coupled to, a component which is used during execution of an oral care function of the device, for example a sensor for detecting cleaning progress in the mouth, or a component which drives a cleaning or treatment action in the mouth. In accordance with the invention, the sensor signal (20) generated when the oral care system is outside the mouth is used for performing a wear-out assessment. As relevant components used by the oral care system (14) for the oral care function wear, characteristics of the sensor signal (20) may change in a predictable way, which can be used to identify when a wear-out state has been reached.

Abstract: A method for performing a non-invasive periodontal examination on a subject. The method comprises obtaining a first optical image of the surface of an intra-oral area of the subject, the intra-oral area containing at least one tooth and a corresponding gum and obtaining a second image of the intra-oral area of the subject, wherein the second image contains an image of the hard tissue covered by the soft tissue. The hard tissue includes bone and teeth. The method further comprises merging the optical image and the second image into a fused image such that the tooth and part of the gum in the fused image are based on the optical image and wherein any bone in the fused image is based on the second image and estimating the periodontal distance between a soft tissue landmark and a hard tissue landmark for each tooth in the intra-oral area based on the fused image.

Abstract: A tooth arch receiving element has an arch formed of a conformable structure for receiving the teeth of a user. An actuator is used to increase the rigidity of the conformable structure after it has been shaped to correspond to a shape of a tooth arch of a subject during an arch fitting stage.

Abstract: Means for detecting oral surface characteristics, or proxies thereof, based on sensing of transient force or displacement of protruding cleaning members of an oral care device, and based on mapping said sensing data onto cleaning member position and/or motion data. From analysis of patterns in the position and/or motion data over a measurement or sampling period, surface characteristics including a measure of surface friction may be derived. In some embodiments, secondary surface characteristics may be derived based on the determined measure of surface friction.

Abstract: A shielding barrier (32) is carried by one or more electrodes (22) of a cleaning and/or treatment unit (12) for an oral care device, and arranged for interposing contact of an exposed conductive portion (25) of the electrodes (22) by other components or external objects. The shielding barrier is arranged such that the exposed conductive portion is still at least partially open to the environment surrounding the electrodes (22).

Abstract: An approach for obtaining measurements of mechanical properties of a gripping performed by masticatory apparatus. A mouthpiece provides a sensing arrangement (for obtaining the measurement) and one or more mouth contacting elements for protecting, cleaning or treating teeth/gums. In this way, measurements indicative of potential abnormalities or physiological dysfunction in the masticatory apparatus can be obtained using a mouthpiece that has a secondary function of protecting, cleaning and/or treating elements of the mouth.

Abstract: A shielding barrier (32) is carried by one or more electrodes (22) of a cleaning and/or treatment unit (12) for an oral care device, and arranged for interposing contact of an exposed conductive portion (25) of the electrodes (22) by other components or external objects. The shielding barrier is arranged such that the exposed conductive portion is still at least partially open to the environment surrounding the electrodes (22).

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus (100) for transporting sweat droplets (112) to a sensor. The apparatus comprises a chamber (102) for filling with sweat. The chamber has an inlet (104) lying adjacent the surface of the skin (106), which inlet permits sweat to enter and fill the chamber. The chamber has an outlet (114) from which a sweat droplet protrudes once the chamber has been filled. The apparatus further comprises a fluid transport assembly which is designed to enable the sweat droplet protruding from the outlet to become detached from the outlet of the chamber. The sweat droplet is subsequently transported by the fluid transport assembly to the sensor. Once the protruding droplet has been released from the outlet, the outlet is made available for a subsequent sweat droplet to protrude therefrom upon further filling of the chamber.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method comprising: receiving (402), from a sensor, first data indicative of a concentration of a first substance in sweat secreted from sweat glands of a subject; determining (404) a relationship between (i) a time of occurrence of a characteristic event in relation to the concentration of the first substance in sweat and (ii) a time of occurrence of the characteristic event in relation to the concentration of the first substance in blood; and determining (406), based on the relationship and the received first data, a time window regarding the intake of a second substance by the subject. Another aspect provides an apparatus for carrying out this method.

Abstract: Provided is a system (300) for determining a sweat rate per gland and measuring biomarker concentration. The system comprises an apparatus and a sensor (166). The apparatus receives sweat from the skin and transports the sweat as discrete sweat droplets to the sensor. The sensor senses each of the counted sweat droplets. The system further comprises a processor which counts the number of sensed sweat droplets during a time period. The processor also determines time intervals between consecutive sensed sweat droplets, and receives a measure of the volume of each of the counted sweat droplets. The time intervals and the measure of the volume are then used by the processor to identify sweat burst and rest periods of the sweat gland or glands producing the sweat. This identification process necessarily involves assigning the sweat burst and rest periods to the sweat gland or glands, such that the processor is permitted to determine the number of sweat glands involved in producing the sweat.

Abstract: A device (1) for determining sweat parameters of a user is provided, which device comprises a microfluidic structure (10) having a collection chamber (16) configured to collect sweat from a first skin area (i), and a sensor (12) configured to determine a sweat parameter from sweat from the first skin area (i). The device also comprises an evaporation control chamber (14), which is connected to the microfluidic structure (10), configured to utilize fluid collected at a second area (ii) to moisten the microfluidic structure (10). The moistening of the microfluidic structure (10) aims to increase the available sweat for the sensor to determine a sweat parameter, by increasing the humidity inside the microfluidic structure (10) and thus, decreasing the evaporation of sweat. A method for determining sweat parameters of a user is also provided.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a system (10) comprising a sweat stimulation device (100) for stimulating sweat generation from sweat glands of a subject, the device comprising: a stimulation element (102) configured to provide modulated stimulation between two non-zero states to the sweat glands through the skin of the subject; and a sensor (104) for measuring data indicative of a characteristic of sweat generated by the sweat glands in response to the stimulation; and a processor (110) configured to receive the measured data from the sensor; compare the measured data with a threshold value; and responsive to determining that the measured data meets or exceeds the threshold value, generate an alert signal.

Abstract: A personal care device (12) comprising an RF signal generator (32) for generating RF-frequency electromagnetic emissions for a cleaning or treatment function. The RF emissions may be output from a set of two or more RF electrodes (22) (e.g. electrodes) upon stimulation with an RF drive signal in a frequency range from 3 kHz to 30 GHz from an RF signal generator. The device further includes a controller (34) for detect a degraded functional state of the RF electrodes (22) via monitoring changes or variations in one or more electrical characteristics of the RF signal generator (32), e.g. drift in one or more electrical characteristics from reference factory levels, or sudden changes in the characteristics, indicating a short-circuit.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided switch circuitry (1) for controlling power supplied to a fluid monitoring unit (4). The switch circuitry (1) comprises: a sensor (2) configured to detect fluid derived from the skin of a user and to generate a detection signal in response to detection of fluid; and a controller (3) configured to receive the detection signal, to generate a wake-up signal in accordance with the detection signal, and to supply the wake-up signal to a switch (6) controlling the power supply to the fluid monitoring unit (4) so as to activate the switch (6) and wake the fluid monitoring unit (4), wherein, optionally, the fluid is sweat. According to another aspect, there is provided method of controlling power to a fluid monitoring unit.

Abstract: A patient monitoring method comprises receiving (103, 109) input data indicative of shivering episodes (52) and sweating episodes (54) of a patient; recording (105, 111) the respective points in time at which the shivering episodes and sweating episodes occur; and generating (115, 117) an output based on an alternating pattern of the shivering episodes and sweating episodes from the recorded respective points in time of the respective shivering and/or episodes. Also disclosed is a computer program product for implementing such a method and a monitoring system (10) arranged to implement such a method.

Abstract: An oral care system (10) comprises an oral care device (12). The oral care device is designed to either comprise or attach to a cleaning or treatment portion (14), e.g. a brush head or mouthpiece. The oral care device thus has a cleaning or treatment function. The oral care device is further provided with an electromagnetic (EM) field or radiation generator (22) adapted to generate and emit radio or microwave frequency electromagnetic energy in a space around an emitter arrangement (24) (sanitization area) used to emit the radiation or field. The EM emissions are configured to have electromagnetic properties suitable for heating water or water-containing fluid located within the sanitization area (34). This allows for a sanitization or disinfection function in a dedicated mode, wherein the EM emissions of the EM generator causes heating to a temperature of at least 50° C., preferably at least 70° C.

Abstract: A wear-out assessment for an oral care system (14) (e.g. an oral cleaning device) is disclosed. A sensor unit (16) of the oral care system is adapted to provide a sensor signal related to a cleaning efficacy of a cleaning function of the oral care system. The sensor unit (16) may be, or may be coupled to, a component which is used during execution of an oral care function of the device, for example a sensor for detecting cleaning progress in the mouth, or a component which drives a cleaning or treatment action in the mouth. The sensor signal (20) is used for performing a wear-out assessment via monitoring characteristics of a signal which is indicative of progress of the oral cleaning efficacy during an operation session (e.g. a clean level in the mouth) and monitoring a length of time that it takes for a certain threshold of efficacy to be reached in a session. If the length of time is over a certain threshold, this can be an indication that the relevant components of the oral care system are wearing out.