Brushalyze - Understanding the tooth brushing process all along: New research device for multi-sensorial detection and intelligent analysis of tooth brushing

刷牙的过程仍然知之甚少，因为没有适当的研究设备来详细描述和分析这一过程。刷牙是一项高度复杂和自动化的活动，因此与健康密切相关。此外，很大一部分人无法获得无牙菌斑的牙齿，因此患有与牙菌斑相关的疾病；无论他们使用电子牙刷还是手动牙刷。与此相一致，有必要对刷牙过程有一个准确的科学理解。这种科学的理解需要包含多个方面。的确，牙科方面很重要，心理学和运动学也特别令人感兴趣。现有的研究方法存在一定的局限性。到目前为止，对刷牙过程的最精确分析是通过视频分析提供的。虽然视频分析非常耗时，但它没有提供刷牙过程的详细描述。因此，正在开发一种能够自动对刷牙过程进行详细分析的研究设备。该装置的设计目的是使刷牙过程得到更精确的研究。手动牙刷配备了适当的传感器。传感器使表征刷牙过程的物理量能够被标记。这些物理量包括力、惯性、加速度、运动方向和幅度。在外部参照系的帮助下，可以获得运动的准确位置。此外，正在使用机器学习方法开发和研究算法。这种方法允许在传感器的帮助下将记录的物理量与行为参数和临床数据进行映射。为此，开展了收集样本数据的研究。对该研究设备未来在基础牙科和行为研究中的应用进行持续评估。在该项目结束时，将提供经过相应研究证实的刷牙过程差异化自动记录的装置。这一设备不仅将为牙科基础研究提供重要的见解，还将为心理学和运动科学等其他学科提供重要的见解。

The process of tooth brushing is still poorly understood, as there is no proper research equipment for detailed description and analysis of this. Tooth brushing is a highly complex and automated activity and hence is of great health relevance. Furthermore, a large part of the population is unable to obtain plaque-free teeth and thereby suffer from plaque-associated diseases; regardless of whether they use electronic or manual tooth brush. In line with this, there exists a necessity for a precise scientific understanding of the tooth brushing process. This scientific understanding needs to incorporate various aspects. Indeed the aspects of dentistry are important, psychology and the movement sciences are also of particular interest. Currently available research methods have certain limitations. To date, the most precise analysis of the tooth brushing process has been provided by video analysis. Though video analysis is extremely time consuming, it does not provide a detailed description of the tooth-brushing process. Hence, a research device that automatically carries out a detailed analysis of the tooth brushing process is being developed. This device is designed to enable the tooth brushing process to be studied more precisely. A manual toothbrush is equipped with appropriate sensors. The sensors enable physical quantities that characterize the tooth brushing process to be labelled. These physical quantities include force, inertia, acceleration, direction and amplitude of the movements. An exact position of the movements is made available with the help of external reference systems. Further, algorithms are being developed and researched using machine learning methods. This methodology allows the recorded physical quantities with the help of sensors to be mapped with the behavioral parameters and clinical data. For this purpose, studies are carried out to collect sample data. There is a continuous evaluation of this research device for future application in basic dental and behavioral research. At the end of this project, a device validated by corresponding studies in terms of differentiated automated recordings of the tooth brushing process would be made available. This device will provide important insights not only for basic research in dentistry, but also in other disciplines such as psychology and the movement sciences.