Abstract: A method (200) for determining a position and an orientation of a portion of a handheld personal care device relative to a user's body (50), comprising: providing (210) a handheld personal care device comprising at least one energy source (20) and at least one detector (22), both the at least one energy source and the at least one detector located within the handheld personal care device, the at least one energy source arranged at a first position and having a first orientation within the handheld personal care device; emitting (220) energy in a three dimensional space surrounding the handheld personal care device; detecting (230) a portion of the energy emitted; generating (240) sensor data; extracting (250) one or more features from the generated sensor data; and estimating (260) a position and an orientation of a portion of the handheld personal care device relative to the user's body based on the extracted one or more features.

Abstract: A personal care device including at least one sensor (28) configured to obtain sensor data including information about a user; a controller (30) having a feature extraction module (230) and a classifier (240), the feature extraction module configured to extract one or more features from the obtained sensor data, the classifier configured to determine a status of a user based on the extracted one or more features; and a personal care device (10) configured to provide a personal care function and receive one or more control signals to adjust the personal care function based on a determined status of at least a portion of the user's body.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for selecting a mouthpiece (25) for a user. The method includes receiving a signal with a personal care system (10) to initiate oral arch measurements using a personal care device (12). Data is collected from a position sensor (16) related to a location of a probe (14) of the personal care device as the probe is moved about an oral arch of the user. A controller (18) of the personal care system determines a dimension of the oral arch from the data. The controller selects a mouthpiece for the user based on the dimension of the oral arch. Information identifying the mouthpiece is transmitted to the user or other intended recipient.

Abstract: A method (300) for characterizing color information about a tooth, comprising: (i) projecting (320) at least one predetermined color pattern (400); (ii) obtaining (330), using an imager (10), one or more images (90) each containing both a projected first predetermined color pattern (400) and at least a portion of a user's mouth (500); (iii) automatically identifying (340) by a controller (30), from the obtained one or more images, one or more teeth (510) in the at least a portion of the user's mouth (500( ); (iv) comparing (350) an imaged predetermined color pattern to a corresponding projected predetermined color pattern; and (v) extracting (360) by the controller, based on the outcome of the comparison, color information about the one or more identified teeth (510).

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing a user's efficiency while operating an oral hygiene device (10) is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, motion information of an oral hygiene device is received from one or more accelerometers (32) located within the oral hygiene device. The received motion information is compared to a targeted motion of the oral hygiene device. The user operating the oral hygiene device is then provided with feedback in response to determining that the received motion information is within a predefined range of the targeted motion information.

Abstract: The invention discloses an oral care device (100) comprising a head portion (102) having a protuberance (104) for engaging an interproximal region within an oral cavity. The oral care device (100) also comprises at least one sensor (108) for acquiring motion data for the oral care device, and a processor (110). The processor is configured to determine when the protuberance of the head portion engages an interproximal region in the oral cavity; and determine, based on motion data acquired by the at least one sensor as the protuberance moves between interproximal regions, a position of the head portion of the oral care device in the oral cavity. An oral care system and a method of determining a position of an oral care device in an oral cavity are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method (300) for identifying a characteristic of a user of a personal care device (10) comprising a sensor (28), a controller (30), and a database (34), comprising the steps of: training (320) the device with training data, comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining (322) sensor data for at least one personal care session for each of at least two different users; (ii) extracting (324), via an extraction module, a plurality of features from each of the personal care sessions; and (iii) training (328), using the extracted features, a classifier to identify a characteristic of each of the at least two different users of the device; obtaining (330) sensor data for at least part of a new personal care session; extracting (340) a plurality of features from the sensor data for the new personal care session; and identifying (360), using the trained classifier, a characteristic of the user of the device.

Abstract: A personal care device (10) configured to generate a feedback signal in response to excessive pressure applied by a user includes: a body portion (12) comprising a first interacting portion (40); a shaft (24) comprising a second interacting portion (42), wherein the shaft and the second interacting portion are moveable, in response to a force applied by the user, from a first position in which the first interacting portion does not physically interact with the second interacting portion, to a second position in which the first interacting portion physically interacts with the second interacting portion; and a sensor (70) configured to detect the physical interaction between the first interacting portion and the second interacting portion, and further configured to activate a feedback signal, in response to the detection of the physical interaction, to the user that excessive pressure is being applied.

Abstract: A method (500) for localizing gingival inflammation using an oral care device (10), the method comprising: (i) emitting (520) light at a first intensity by a light emitter (42); (ii) obtaining (530) first reflectance measurements reflectance data; (iii) determining (540), by a controller (30) from the first reflectance data, whether the location comprises gingiva; (iv) automatically adjusting (550), based at least in part on the first reflectance data, the intensity of a light emitter to a second intensity different from the first intensity, and/or automatically adjusting (550) a gain of a light detector; (v) obtaining (560) a second plurality of reflectance measurements by the light detector of the oral care device for at least some of the locations; and (vi) determining (570), using the second plurality of reflectance measurements, whether gingiva at the location is inflamed.

Abstract: A method (300) for obtaining one or more oral images (90) using an imaging device or system (100, 200) includes: (i) obtaining (320), using an imager, an oral image; (ii) extracting (330), by a controller, one or more features from the oral image, wherein the extracted one or more features comprises at least an image quality feature and an object recognition feature; (iii) determining (340), by a decision module of the controller, whether the one or more extracted features satisfy a predetermined feature threshold; (iv) providing (350) feedback to a user regarding the obtained oral image if the one or more extracted features does not satisfy the predetermined feature threshold, or authorizing (370) transmission of the oral image to a dental professional if the one or more extracted features satisfy the predetermined feature threshold; and (v) transmitting (380), if transmission is authorized, the obtained oral image to a dental professional.

Abstract: A respiratory monitoring device comprises: a light source (30) arranged to generate a projected shadow (S) of an imaging subject (P) positioned for imaging by an imaging device (8); a video camera (40) arranged to acquire video of the projected shadow; and an electronic processor (42) programmed to extract a position of an edge of the projected shadow as a function of time from the acquired video. In some embodiments, the light source is arranged to project the shadow onto a bore wall (20) of the imaging device, and the video camera is arranged to acquire video of the projected shadow on the bore wall. The electronic processor may be programmed to extract the position of the edge (E) as a one-dimensional function of time (46) based on the position of the edge in each frame of the acquired video and time stamps of the video frames.

Abstract: A contact-free method of determining biometric parameters and physiological parameters of a subject of interest (20) to be examined by a medical imaging modality (10), comprising steps of taking (72) a picture by a first digital camera (52) including a total view of an examination table (44); applying (74) a computer vision algorithm or an image processing algorithm to the picture for determining a biometric parameter of the subject of interest (20) in relation to the examination table (44); taking (78) at least one picture with a second digital camera (58), whose field of view (60) includes a region of the subject of interest (20) that is related to the at least one determined biometric parameter; using data indicative of the determined biometric parameter to identify (82) a subset of pixels of the at least one picture taken by the second digital camera (58) that define a region of interest (64) from which at least one physiological parameter of the subject of interest (20) is to be determined, taking (84) a

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for providing feedback to an individual based on brushing performance, and providing guidance for the individual's brushing, are provided herein. In one exemplary embodiment, after an oral hygiene device is orientated, a determination is made as to a segment within the individual's mouth that a brush head of the oral hygiene device is located. Upon this determination being made, a sub-segment within the individual's mouth where the brush head is located is also determined. A brushing performance within the sub-segment is calculated and displayed to the user. A level of compliance for the particular segment is determined based on the brushing performance of the various sub-segments within the particular segment. If the level of compliance exceeds a pre-set compliance level for that segment, the individual is guided to a different segment within their mouth for brushing.

Abstract: A system and method of determining and notifying a user when to replace a worn dental cleaning head (104), comprises receiving, from a sensor (106), at least one measured value; calculating, using the measured value, a burn metric of the dental cleaning head; modeling, using the burn metric, an estimated lifetime of the dental cleaning head; determining, from the lifetime model, whether the dental cleaning head is in need of replacement; and notifying the user upon determining that the dental cleaning head is in need of replacement.

Abstract: An oral care device (10) assesses a health parameter of gingival tissue of a user by means of a force-generating module (52) to apply a momentary force to the gingival tissue by applying a burst of compressed air or a burst of liquid to the gingival tissue, a sensor (28) to obtain a plurality of optical signals from the gingival tissue over time after the momentary force has been applied, a controller (30) to quantify, based at least in part on an analysis of the plurality of optical signals, the health parameter (e.g. inflammation of the gingival tissue), wherein the health parameter is based at least in part on an amount of time the gingival tissue takes to recover to the application of force; and a feedback module (46) to provide information to the user regarding the quantified health parameter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, system and method for CO2 monitoring. To enable continuous monitoring at low cost and in a simple manner, the device comprises a signal input (10) for obtaining one or more monitoring signals (20) of a monitored area, a breathing monitor (11) for determining one or more breathing parameters (21) of one or more subjects present in the monitored area from the obtained one or more monitoring signals, and a CO2 estimation unit (12) for estimating the CO2 level (22) in the monitored area based on the determined one or more breathing parameters.

Abstract: A method (400) for determining a user's compliance with a guided cleaning session during use of an oral cleaning device (10) includes the steps of: (i) providing (410) an oral cleaning device including a sensor (28), a guidance generator (46), and a controller (30); (ii) providing (420), by the guidance generator, a guided cleaning session to the user; (iii) generating (430), at a first location during the guided cleaning session, sensor data from the sensor indicating a position or motion of the oral cleaning device; (iv) comparing (440) the generated sensor data to expected sensor data for the first location; and (v) generating (450), based on the comparison, an estimate of the user's compliance with the guided cleaning session.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing distraction of a user (10) of an oral health care device (102), includes: a sensor (112) configured to determine positions of the user during use of the oral health care device; a processor (150) in communication with the sensor and configured to calculate differences between the determined positions and to determine if the differences reach or exceed a threshold value for notifying the user; and a user interface (114) in communication with the processor and configured to alter from a normal state in an event the differences between the determined positions reach or exceed the threshold value for notifying the user.

Abstract: A method (300) for identifying a characteristic of a user of a personal care device (10) comprising a sensor (28), a controller (30), and a database (34), comprising the steps of: training (320) the device with training data, comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining (322) sensor data for at least one personal care session for each of at least two different users; (ii) extracting (324), via an extraction module, a plurality of features from each of the personal care sessions; and (iii) training (328), using the extracted features, a classifier to identify a characteristic of each of the at least two different users of the device; obtaining (330) sensor data for at least part of a new personal care session; extracting (340) a plurality of features from the sensor data for the new personal care session; and identifying (360), using the trained classifier, a characteristic of the user of the device.

Abstract: A method (300) for providing feedback to a user of an oral cleaning device (10). The method includes the steps of: (i) receiving (330), from a sensor (28) of the oral cleaning device, data about a plurality of orientations of the oral cleaning device within the user's mouth during a cleaning session; (ii) extracting (340), from the received data, information about one or more stable orientations of the oral cleaning device within the user's mouth during the cleaning session, where a stable orientation is an orientation of the oral cleaning device maintained by the user for a period of time above a threshold; (iii) fitting (350) the information about the one or more stable orientations of the oral cleaning device to one or more expected orientations; and (iv) providing (360) feedback to the user about the cleaning session based on an analysis of the fitted one or more stable orientations.