Tomobrush: sonic toothbrush with dental plaque sensing
ToMoBrush is an innovative sonic toothbrush equipped with a microphone to sense dental plaque through acoustic signals. It enables at-home dental self-examination by identifying plaque build-up, providing early alerts for dental care.
Overview
ToMoBrush transforms the traditional sonic toothbrush into a sophisticated dental health sensing device. By integrating a microphone into the brush head, ToMoBrush captures the acoustic signals produced by bristle vibrations and tooth contact. This information is processed to detect deviations from healthy tooth acoustic profiles, allowing users to monitor plaque build-up at home. This innovative approach enables early detection and intervention, promoting proactive dental health management.
Technical specifications
- Acoustic Signal Processing: Utilizes a microphone to capture acoustic signals generated by the toothbrush's bristle vibrations.
- Comparison with Reference Signals: Monitors changes by comparing signals with healthy tooth profiles recorded after dental visits.
- User Guidance: Instructs users to follow a video-guided brushing pattern for accurate data collection.
- Algorithmic Enhancements: Incorporates classical signal processing and learning-based tools to reduce noise and improve accuracy.
- Hardware Design: Future enhancements include integrating the microphone within the brush head for improved signal quality and manufacturing feasibility.
Technology readiness level
ToMoBrush is currently at Technology Readiness Level 5, having been validated in preliminary dental user studies. Future plans include refining algorithms and hardware for mass production and conducting larger clinical trials to further validate the system's effectiveness.
About Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university in Pittsburgh with a strong applied-research culture and an emphasis on translational impact. Industry collaborates through co-located labs, specialized testbeds, and a federally funded software engineering center that de-risks complex systems. Proximity to a regional robotics and advanced manufacturing cluster enables rapid prototyping, field trials, and access to a skilled talent pipeline, with flexible sponsored-research and affiliate models. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NSF, DoD, DOE, NIH, and NASA. A dedicated tech transfer office and entrepreneurship programs provide IP strategy, licensing, and startup acceleration.
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