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

人们对刷牙的过程仍然知之甚少，因为没有合适的研究设备来详细描述和分析这个过程。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，很大一部分人口无法获得无牙菌斑的牙齿，从而患上与牙菌斑有关的疾病；不管他们用的是电子牙刷还是手动牙刷。与此相一致的是，有必要对刷牙过程进行精确的科学理解。这种科学的认识需要综合各个方面。的确，牙科的各个方面都很重要，心理学和运动科学也特别有趣。现有的研究方法有一定的局限性。迄今为止，对刷牙过程最精确的分析是通过视频分析提供的。虽然视频分析非常耗时，但它并不能提供刷牙过程的详细描述。因此，正在开发一种自动对刷牙过程进行详细分析的研究装置。设计该装置是为了更精确地研究刷牙过程。手动牙刷配有适当的传感器。传感器可以标记表征刷牙过程的物理量。这些物理量包括力、惯性、加速度、运动方向和振幅。在外部参考系统的帮助下，可以获得运动的确切位置。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记录的物理量与行为参数和临床数据进行映射。为此，开展研究，收集样本数据。为了将来在基础牙科和行为学研究中的应用，对该研究装置进行了持续的评估。在本项目结束时，将提供一种经过相应研究验证的设备，该设备可以根据刷牙过程的不同自动记录进行验证。该装置不仅将为牙科的基础研究提供重要的见解，而且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.