Researchers turn brushing your teeth into child's play

Kids -- they hate brushing their teeth. Sure, we try and show them pictures of zombie faces and toothless seniors, but it just doesn't work. Finally, someone has come up with a solution to the problem: make it fun. Researchers at the National Taiwan University have devised a scheme which turns brushing your teeth into a webcam-tracked video game. Using an LED-studded toothbrush, a camera mounted above a mirror, and an LCD display, kids can watch plaque and debris get annihilated from a cartoon mouth while they scrub their choppers. The system is able to track detailed, three-dimensional movement of the child's hand, covering 24 separate areas of the mouth. Kids who tested the system were found to brush twice as well as those who hadn't used it, but were also extremely cocky about their perfect teeth. Check the video after the break to see the magic happen.

[Via Gizmo Watch]

[Flashpoint @ Apr 6th 2008 10:49AM]

Sounds like yet another attachement for the Wiimote

[Ghen @ Apr 6th 2008 4:11PM]

Nope, first rule of wiimote attachment: it must be utterly useless. This unfortunately is marginally useful.

In other news: heheh Joshua said cock y.

[Timothy Sottek @ Apr 6th 2008 10:54AM]

Sure, I'll buy an LCD for my bathroom counter. Just for this.

I'll put it right next to my collection of diamond "grills."

[Stem $ell @ Apr 6th 2008 11:12AM]

~~~~~

There once was a toothbrush by Rubik™
Clock-worky enough to please Kubrick
Though, when shorts in the show'r
'Twas more deadly than Bauer!
(Then Ralph Nader "brushed up" on his rubric)

~~~~~

[Josh L @ Apr 6th 2008 1:45PM]

Stem $ell is epic win.

Keep up the funnies!

[thelittleleaguecoach.com @ Apr 6th 2008 11:30AM]

This is so awesome! I wonder how much it will cost.

[vdogg89 @ Apr 6th 2008 11:47AM]

oh gosh... a webcam in the bathroom

[Turd @ Apr 6th 2008 12:02PM]

Pretty sad that nowadays it requires some electronic toy to substitute for missing or bad parental education.

[Tim @ Apr 6th 2008 12:02PM]

This does not need to exist.

[andres @ Apr 6th 2008 3:34PM]

and yet it does exist

[Justin @ Apr 7th 2008 1:49AM]

I agree. In the good old days, kids brushed their teeth. End of story.

[x3qt0r @ Apr 6th 2008 12:03PM]

Put in counter strike instead and you will find me brushing 24 x 7.

[Shadow @ Apr 6th 2008 12:07PM]

Yeah, you annihilate the terrorists trying to plant a plaque bomb!

Lol yeah this sounds like it'll make the dentist's job a little bit easier

[x3qt0r @ Apr 6th 2008 12:14PM]

I am a run N' gun kind of player.

[wea @ Apr 8th 2008 2:00AM]

yes! go down the enamel bridge and fire some shots of Listerine down the hall to annihilate the invading iraque... i mean plaque insurgents, score some points. plant a anti-tooth decay claymore made out of paste and dental wire full of toothbrush bristles for far better kill radius. Then as we run and camp behind the saliva glands, we wait for them to try and plant a root canal. Little do they know, we C4! (Colgate to the 4th power) planted everywhere!!!

ohh did I forget to launch the ad that tells boys and girls if they don't want to be laughed at for bad breath, brush your teeth... if you don't wanna look like grandma toothless :E

[Shadow @ Apr 8th 2008 9:16AM]

Yeah...

*Buys ACP (AWP plus Colgate!)*

HEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOTHEADSHOT

*Teeth clean*

[Miker @ Apr 6th 2008 12:08PM]

...and in a desperate attempt to beat her best time little Mahoko brushes so quickly she makes her gums bleed and the vibrations from her furious brushing dislodges the webcam and screen which fall into the sink full of water electrocuting her instantly, meanwhile the ensuing fire not only kills her entire family and neighbouring houses, but also sets light to the local fireworks factory which spectacularly explodes...unfortunately a rocket get caught under the collar of a small poodle catapulting it through the window of the nearby nuclear power station and into the control panel responsible for regulating the cooling system, the nuclear plant going into meltdown causing genetic mutations in the local population who promptly set up a religion dedicated to the god Colgate, and the local priest convinced he is receiving divine instructions from his dental floss proceeds to annihilate the entire population of the world through a deadly virus created out of denture adhesive.

Now people, in all honestly, is it still a good idea?!

[Abuzar @ Apr 6th 2008 12:14PM]

Don't forget about the nuclear fluctuations that cause all the Nuclear missiles to launch destroying all of the world... Except for Australia. Fucking Kangaroos.

[Sora267 @ Apr 6th 2008 1:01PM]

Run on sentences FTW!

Oh, and I'm never brushing my teeth again LOL.

[Ignatius @ Apr 6th 2008 2:04PM]

I want to live in that world. Everything seems to be awesome.

[Reader @ Apr 6th 2008 2:08PM]

You want to live in a world where Colgate is a religion??? How often do they brush and floss?

[koresho @ Apr 8th 2008 7:50PM]

HAHAHA I died laughing there. Awesome!

[Blackstar @ Apr 6th 2008 12:16PM]

One could get all that. Or one could be a real parent by teaching your children the correct way and then making sure they do it correctly, by actually watching them! Ya! Isn't parenting fun?

[James Yopp @ Apr 6th 2008 12:46PM]

Really? I think this is great. Even as an adult, I'd like this system.

One assumes a newer version would have some of the following improvements:
1. A passive tracking system (such as an IR-reflective pattern instead of LED's)
2. LED's for actual sensors, like pressure at the brush head or bristle flex
3. Flossing, tongue-cleaning, gum-stimulation support

It'd be like using those chewable staining tablets every time you brush, but with the advantage that it can prevent over-brushing as well (some people wear the enamel off certain teeth while all but ignoring others). Oral infection is linked with a lot of really serious problems, including (but not limited to) heart disease, chronic depression, and diabetes. Overall levels of inflammation in your body are affected by the strain incoming and resident bacteria put on your immune system.

[FThorn @ Apr 6th 2008 1:14PM]

Why not make a brushing mouthpiece? Just put it in your mouth, it shrouds all your teeth, and brushes them all at the same time. For the life of me I can't see why this has not been marketed.

[Maze @ Apr 6th 2008 1:25PM]

This is going to be failed. This is a great example of miss conception.

People does not find "Brushing" boring.
People does not have time for "Brushing"

The key is not make them playable, but make them more time efficient. This will go straight to the garbage just like other playful toothbrush toys.

Remember the musical toothbrush few years ago!!!

[jack cullinan @ Apr 6th 2008 1:49PM]

What a huge waste of time...could they not have spent the money on cancer research instead of turning brushing your teeth into a fucking video game?

[JB87 @ Apr 6th 2008 1:50PM]

Toothbrush Hero?

[Stem $ell @ Apr 6th 2008 2:27PM]

Terse n' terrific!

[Senor_Tom @ Apr 6th 2008 1:52PM]

thats a very good point...and i agree. My parents slaved over getting me to brush and wash, and now of course i do

[Reader @ Apr 6th 2008 2:07PM]

You want to live in a world where Colgate is a religion??? How often do they brush and floss?

[MARSHAK @ Apr 6th 2008 2:36PM]

for young kids whats the damn point? teeth are gonna fall out anyway. at 7 and 8 years old when they start getting their adult teeth this game wont entertain them anyway,

[LordZargon @ Apr 6th 2008 2:43PM]

with kids infront of it...

I have some serious concerns about this device.

[Tom @ Apr 6th 2008 3:01PM]

MARSHAK:
It's about teaching. Sure, your kids probably don't need to be potty trained until the first grade (where it's socially required), but that doesn't mean you start teaching them the summer before.

[Reader @ Apr 6th 2008 3:26PM]

It would have been cooler if they put a CRT monitor in there instead.

[YoMomma @ Apr 6th 2008 3:31PM]

an iphone ripoff!!!!!!!!!

[skip @ Apr 6th 2008 3:42PM]

It might be worth it to see a small poodle catapulted by a rocket in its collar.

[Tony Sutton @ Apr 6th 2008 5:48PM]

Better: "a webcam, hidden above..."

[Daniel @ Apr 6th 2008 6:39PM]

now if you can make said invetion, call it i tooth and let it play some gams while cleaning win win

[antiver @ Apr 6th 2008 7:09PM]

This people does not have grammars?

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 6th 2008 7:16PM]

This is actually a good Idea.

[smk @ Apr 6th 2008 7:39PM]

For a second I thought those dots resembled Braille, until I noticed they're not spaced evenly :P TBH kids have it easy now - but that's good (in a sense). When I have kids, they're probably going to be getting a lot of tech (not necessarily a whole lot from me, but they will see a lot of it... parenting and being there for them comes first) - well okay I can see them having an MP3 player instead of CD... Seeing a couple kids (a few days ago) on the bus with an iPod, PSP, and a few other gadgets (and the parent saying "when you get home you can play on your laptop") and these are 5-8 year olds here :P Though I did play around on a fair bit of computer equipment at that age, didn't exactly have the luxury of my own computer. Just saying (cause things are progressing I suppose?)... they're being spoiled for even the simple things (brushing teeth) - I can see a kid being more cocky with the more you give them though.

[smk @ Apr 6th 2008 7:43PM]

... and a cocky kid isn't exactly that great either (they're supposed to be obedient and honorary of their parents; giving them a bunch of crap doesn't help their life skills any)

[SMARTALIENQT @ Apr 6th 2008 8:38PM]

Because, of course, we really need more technology to fix the world's problem. Next article: World hunger solved by virtual food.

[aschmack @ Apr 6th 2008 8:54PM]

We make holes in teeth! We make holes in teeth! We make holes in teeth!

[RC @ Apr 7th 2008 3:33AM]

Millions of moms want this technology to combat skidmarks.

[Kane @ Apr 7th 2008 6:13AM]

This has nothing on toothtunes...

http://www.hasbro.com/toothtunes/en%5FGB/

[Spellin' Whizz @ Apr 7th 2008 2:32PM]

I cannot believe that NO-ONE has commented on on engadget's recent spate of spelling mistakes!!

how many Dimensions are there in Three-Demensional movement anyway?!

(what's happening to journalesm nowadays anyway?)
lol- It still won't stop me from reading engadget though...