Abstract: A method (700) for localizing inflammation within a user's mouth using an oral care device (10), comprising the steps of: (i) emitting (720) light by one or more light emitters (42) of the oral care device; (ii) detecting (730), by a light detector (40) of the oral care device, reflectance from a surface at each of a plurality of locations within the user's mouth to generate reflectance data for each of the plurality of locations; (iii) determining (750), by the controller, for the plurality of locations, whether gingiva at that location is inflamed; and (iv) providing (760), via a user interface (46) of the oral care device, information to the user regarding the inflamed location or locations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mouthpiece (100) for illumination of teeth, e.g. for teeth whitening. The mouthpiece is configured with at least two lenses (102a, 102b) shaped to cast asymmetrical light onto the teeth (110). The lenses are arranged one-to-one with associated light sources (101a, 101b). The first and second lenses are arranged to project the received light onto a buccal side (111) of the teeth (110), and each of the first and second lenses has an asymmetrically shaped refraction surface (301) shaped to change an intensity distribution of the received light asymmetrically on opposite sides of an optical axis (121) of the respective light source along the dental arch (201) of the teeth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mouthpiece (100) for illumination of teeth, e.g. for teeth whitening. The mouthpiece comprises a slab shaped light guide (203), at least one light source arranged for injecting light into the light guide and an optically transparent element (101) arranged to contact the light guide. The optically transparent element has a lower refractive index than the light guide to enable total internal refection of the injected light. Light is coupled out of the light guide by an out-coupling structure (210) and through a part of the optically transparent part located between the light guide and the buccal side of the teeth to illuminated the teeth with uniform light.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oral care device for teeth whitening or other purpose. The device is designed to provide a uniform light intensity distribution at the teeth. This is achieved by use of a light guide which at some surface parts is separated from surrounding parts of the mouthpiece of the oral care device by air-filled separation portions. The light guide mixes the injected light to improve the uniformity of the light intensity. In 5 order to couple light out from the light guide, the mouthpiece comprises an out-coupling structure located opposite to the buccal side of the teeth. The out-coupling structure may be shaped, e.g. by changing the area or density of parts of the out-coupling structure depending on the distance to a location of the light guide where light is injected.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a method and apparatus for measuring a tissue variation signal (e.g. a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal) without large direct current (DC) or low frequency (LF) offset which normally limit the sensor accuracy through motion artefacts and/or dynamic range requirements. The proposed solution is based on a separation of the PPG signal from the disturbance. This can be achieved by creation of a modulated PPG signal, or by creation of a differential PPG signal and an optimized sensor configuration which is adapted to remove DC or LF components.

Abstract: A plaque detection apparatus (70) and method make use of an excitation source (72), a light detector (74) and a controller (76). The excitation source (72) outputs wavelength modulated light (?ex) to an evaluation site (80) that has a periodically changing wavelength centered around a wavelength corresponding to a non-linearity in an absorption and/or a fluorescence excitation spectrum for a chosen plaque. The chosen plaque exhibits spectral characteristics different from non-chosen plaque and/or interfering species. The light detector (74) detects light (?site) (84) received from the evaluation site (80), including site reflected light (?refl) and/or site emitted light (?em). The controller (76) operatively couples to the excitation source (72) and the light detector (74) for controlling the excitation source to output the wavelength modulated light and detecting plaque as a function of the detected light (?site) and at least one higher harmonic of the wavelength modulation frequency.

Abstract: A dental apparatus is provided. The dental apparatus include a handle. A controller operably couples to the housing. A subsystem is in operable communication with the controller and configured to generate an excitation signal causing an emitted fluorescence light to be reflected back to the subsystem and to the controller for analyzing one or more properties of the emitted fluorescence light. The one or more properties corresponding to a decay time of the emitted fluorescence light, wherein plaque emitted florescence light decays faster than tooth emitted florescence light. The controller is programmed to analyze detected emitted fluorescence light to determine if the emitted fluorescence light is indicative of a plaque emitted fluorescence decay time or tooth emitted florescence light decay time to detect the presence of one of dental plaque and tooth demineralization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photoplethysmography apparatus (100), comprising a source of light (110) configured to provide source light (130) of at least a first and a second spectral position directed at a tissue (140); alight detector (120) configured to detect scattered source light, and to provide at least a first and a second sensor signal (127, 29) indicative of the scattered source light of the first and second spectral position; and a processing unit (150). The processing unit is configured to calculate a corrected sensor signal (160), indicative of a variation in blood absorbance within the tissue, by removing a tissue-path error signal component, indicative of a variation in optical path length through the tissue over time, and a light-coupling error signal component, indicative of a variation of source light intensity of the source light emitted at the tissue, from the at least first and second sensor signals.

Abstract: An apparatus (100, 100?) is configured such that passage of a fluid (30) through an open port of a distal tip (112, 112?) enables detection of a substance (116) that may be present on a surface (31, 33), e.g., a surface of a tooth, based on measurement of a signal correlating to a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid (30) through the open port. The apparatus (100, 100?) includes a proximal pump portion (124) and at least one distal probe portion (110) configured to be immersed in another fluid (11), e.g., water in toothpaste foam. A corresponding system (3000) includes one or two such apparatuses (3100, 3200). A method of detecting the presence of a substance on a surface includes probing an interaction zone (17) for at least partial obstruction of flow of the second fluid medium (30) through a distal probe tip.

Abstract: An optical vital signs sensor is provided. The optical vital signs sensor is configured to measure or determine vital signs of a user. The optical vital signs sensor comprises a contact surface (101) and at least one light source (110) configured to generate light. The light is directed towards a skin (1000) of a user. Furthermore, at least one photo detector unit (120) is configured to detect light which is indicative of a reflection of the light beam from the at least one light source (110) in or from the skin (1000) of the user. Between the light source and the contact surface, a color converting plate (200) is provided which converts a color of the light from the light source.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photoplethysmography device (20) of the reflectance type, comprising a light source (4), a light sensor (5), and an interface layer (21). The interface layer (21) has a recess between the source (4) and the sensor (5) in order to prevent reflection losses between the device (20) and the skin and to prevent that light from the source (4) can reach the sensor (5) directly via the interface layer (21).

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a method and apparatus for measuring a tissue variation signal (e.g. a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal) without large direct current (DC) or low frequency (LF) offset which normally limit the sensor accuracy through motion artefacts and/or dynamic range requirements. The proposed solution is based on a separation of the PPG signal from the disturbance. This can be achieved by creation of a modulated PPG signal, or by creation of a differential PPG signal and an optimized sensor configuration which is adapted to remove DC or LF components.

Abstract: A detection apparatus enables detection of a substance that may be present on the surface based on measurement of a stream probe signal correlating a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through a stream probe includes a distal optical gum detector transmission portion and a distal optical gum detector reception portion in a position to transmit and to receive, respectively, an optical signal controlled by a controller, enables the controller to determine if an open port of a distal tip of the stream probe is in contact with a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through the open port and not in contact with the gums of a subject or of a user of the detection apparatus to override false positive signals.

Abstract: A plaque detection apparatus (70) and method make use of an excitation source (72), a light detector (74) and a controller (76). The excitation source (72) outputs wavelength modulated light (?ex) to an evaluation site (80) that has a periodically changing wavelength centered around a wavelength corresponding to a non-linearity in an absorption and/or a fluorescence excitation spectrum for a chosen plaque. The chosen plaque exhibits spectral characteristics different from non-chosen plaque and/or interfering species. The light detector (74) detects light (?site) (84) received from the evaluation site (80), including site reflected light (?refl) and/or site emitted light (?em). The controller (76) operatively couples to the excitation source (72) and the light detector (74) for controlling the excitation source to output the wavelength modulated light and detecting plaque as a function of the detected light (?site) and at least one higher harmonic of the wavelength modulation frequency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoplethysmography sensor apparatus (200, 300), a photoplethysmography sensor method (400), and a photoplethysmography sensor computer program product. It is proposed to measure a photoplethysmographic signal without ambient light interference. Ambient light signals are rejected by subtraction of a compensation current at the input of a transimpedance amplifier (240, 340). The compensation current is controlled via a closed loop, without interfering with the low duty cycle operation of a photoplethysmography LED (210, 310).

Abstract: A dental implement is presented including a body portion, at least one oscillator (210), and at least one light source (220) driven by the at least one oscillator and configured to emit at least one excitation light having a plurality of components modulated at a plurality of frequencies. The dental implement further includes at least one optical unit for removing reflected excitation light and receiving a fluorescence light beam from the teeth, and a detector (270) configured to receive the fluorescence light beam for detecting plaque and communicating plaque identification information of the teeth based on frequency domain lifetime measurements.

Abstract: A hemoglobin detection apparatus comprises a spectrally tuneable emitter-detector unit, which is configured to emit or detect electromagnetic radiation spectrally selectively and periodically at different wavelengths covering a spectral modulation interval at a modulation frequency, and to provide a detector signal indicative of the detected electromagnetic radiation as a function of time. The apparatus further comprises a signal processing unit, which is configured to receive the detector signal and to provide an output signal, which is indicative of a contribution of at least one frequency component that forms a second or higher even harmonic of the modulation frequency to the detector signal. The hemoglobin detection apparatus can be used in photoplethysmography applications.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a method and apparatus for measuring a tissue variation signal (e.g. a photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal) without large direct current (DC) or low frequency (LF) offset which normally limit the sensor accuracy through motion artefacts and/or dynamic range requirements. The proposed solution is based on a separation of the PPG signal from the disturbance. This can be achieved by creation of a modulated PPG signal, or by creation of a differential PPG signal and an optimized sensor configuration which is adapted to remove DC or LF components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photoplethysmography sensor apparatus (200, 300), a photoplethysmography sensor method (400), and a photoplethysmography sensor computer program product. It is proposed to measure a photoplethysmographic signal without ambient light interference. Ambient light signals are rejected by subtraction of a compensation current at the input of a transimpedance amplifier (240, 340). The compensation current is controlled via a closed loop, without interfering with the low duty cycle operation of a photoplethysmography LED (210, 310).

Abstract: A plaque detection system is presented including a dental implement and a multi-mode optical waveguide for receiving fluorescence light from a plurality of angles, the fluorescence light traveling along a core of the multimode optical waveguide at different path lengths resulting in modal dispersion. The plaque detection system also includes a detector configured to receive the fluorescence light for detecting plaque, calculus, and/or caries, and communicating plaque identification information of teeth based on frequency domain lifetime measurements. The modal dispersion is used to detect at least one plaque, calculus, and or caries fluorescence area on the teeth. The plaque fluorescence area detected with modal dispersion includes different levels of plaque with respect to a center point of the plaque fluorescence area. Thus, a plaque detection signal depends on a radial distance from the center point of the plaque fluorescence area.