Kolibree has introduced Ara, a CES 2017 Innovation Award honoree and the first toothbrush with embedded artificial intelligence.
Ara knows precisely where in your mouth you are brushing, even when the toothbrush is not connected to the app on a mobile device. Whether brushing online or offline, brushing data (frequency, duration, and brushed areas) is captured in the toothbrush and automatically synced via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE 4.0) when the app is open. In addition, Ara offers the benefits of an electric toothbrush with bristles and sonic vibrations gentle enough to effectively remove plaque without the "overbrushing" that can cause gum recession.
Ara's advanced offline mode is a new step for the Internet of Things (IoT) in oral health. It's the culmination of studying the behaviors of more than 10,000 people who used a Kolibree toothbrush over a three-year period. The company has learned that children are motivated to brush their teeth—and that they learn to brush better—when enticed by a mobile game, such as Kolibree's Go Pirate. Adults, on the other hand, don't always need to be as engaged with an app. Sometimes, adults are too busy or aren't in the mood to pull out a smartphone whenever it's time to brush their teeth, and this is where Ara comes into play.
"Patented deep-learning algorithms are embedded directly inside the toothbrush on a low-power processor. Raw data from the sensors runs through the processor, enabling the system to learn your habits and refine accuracy the more it's used," said Kolibree founder and CEO Thomas Serval. "Ara is Kolibree's newest innovation for personalized health care with an eye on disease prevention and wellness," added Serval.
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Developed for adults, Ara will be the subject of a large clinical study in spring 2017. Testing will take place in the United States and Europe and will aim to show how artificial intelligence can change people's daily behaviors and improve oral care.
Ara's key features include the following:
• Proprietary artificial intelligence technology in the toothbrush, in addition to 3-D motion sensors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer
• Offline data capture and analytics, including date, time, duration, and zones brushed
• Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Low Energy) for easy automatic connection and data syncing
• A Kolibree Index on the mobile app (iOS and Android) to display the user's personal score based on cumulative online and offline brushing
• A weight of 2.5 ounces (70 grams)
• A two-week battery life for easy travel
• A weekly e-mail report to show at a glance how well the user has brushed over the last seven days
Kolibree is offering $129 introductory pricing. Preorders can be placed at kolibree.com for $79 through February 28, 2017.
For more information about Ara or Kolibree, visit kolibree.com.
