JP2023006053A - Toothbrushing auxiliary server, toothbrushing auxiliary device, toothbrushing auxiliary system and toothbrushing auxiliary program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a toothbrushing auxiliary server, a toothbrushing auxiliary device, a toothbrushing auxiliary system and a toothbrushing auxiliary program for increasing interest in toothbrushing.SOLUTION: A toothbrush module 89 attached to a toothbrush 7 comprises a sensor 81 for detecting a physical quantity regarding a toothbrushing action of a plurality of users 9, and a radio transmission unit 82 for transmitting a radio signal indicating a physical quantity detected by the sensor 81. A toothbrushing auxiliary device 1 comprises a score calculation unit 111 for calculating a score regarding a toothbrushing action based on the physical quantity regarding the toothbrushing action of the plurality of users 9, and a ranking output unit 113 for outputting the ranking of each user determined based on the score. The toothbrushing auxiliary server 2 comprises a score acquisition unit 211 for acquiring a score regarding a toothbrushing action based on the physical quantity regarding the toothbrushing action of the plurality of users 9, and a ranking determination unit 212 for determining the ranking of each user 9 on the basis of the score.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a toothbrushing assistance device, a toothbrushing assistance server, a toothbrushing assistance system, and a toothbrushing assistance program used when a user brushes teeth.

Maintaining oral function is important for leading a physically and mentally healthy life. In order to prolong the healthy life expectancy of individuals, dentists also recommend keeping teeth in a sufficiently clean state by appropriately performing daily oral care including toothbrushing.

Conventional techniques for assisting a tooth brushing action performed using a toothbrush include, for example, the techniques described in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 below.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-240760 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-524756

For those who have low interest in oral hygiene, oral care tends to be boring and daily oral care tends to be neglected. Daily tooth brushing is the basis of oral care, and therefore there is a need to increase the interest of those who have little interest in tooth brushing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrushing assistance server, a toothbrushing assistance device, a toothbrushing assistance system, and a toothbrushing assistance program that increase interest in toothbrushing.

The present invention for solving the above problems includes, for example, the following aspects.

(Section 1)
a score acquisition unit that acquires a score related to the toothbrushing action based on physical quantities related to the toothbrushing action by a plurality of users;
a ranking determination unit that determines the ranking of each user based on the score;
tooth brushing assistant server.
(Section 2)
Each user belongs to one of several teams,
Item 2. The toothbrushing assistance server according to item 1, wherein the ranking determination unit determines the ranking of each team based on the scores of users belonging to each team.
(Section 3)
a score calculation unit that calculates a score related to the toothbrushing action based on physical quantities related to the user's toothbrushing action;
a ranking output unit that outputs a ranking of each user determined based on the score;
A tooth brushing aid comprising:
(Section 4)
Each user belongs to one of several teams,
Item 4. The toothbrushing assisting device according to Item 3, wherein the ranking output unit outputs the ranking of each team determined based on the scores of the users belonging to each team.
(Section 5)
A toothbrush module that transmits a wireless signal, the toothbrushing assisting device according to item 3 or 4 that receives the wireless signal, and the toothbrushing assisting server according to item 1 or 2 that is communicably connected to the toothbrushing assisting device. A tooth brushing assistance system comprising:
The toothbrush module includes:
a sensor that detects physical quantities related to tooth brushing actions by a plurality of users;
A wireless transmission unit that transmits a wireless signal indicating the physical quantity detected by the sensor,
The tooth brushing assist device comprises:
a radio receiver that receives the radio signal that indicates the physical quantity;
a score transmission unit that transmits the score to the tooth brushing assistance server;
further comprising
The tooth brushing assistance server
A toothbrushing assistance system further comprising a ranking transmission unit that transmits the ranking to the toothbrushing assistance device.
(Section 6)
Item 3. A tooth brushing assistant program for causing a computer to function as each part of the tooth brushing assistant server according to item 1 or 2.
(Section 7)
Item 5. A tooth brushing assistance program for causing a computer to function as each part of the tooth brushing assistance device according to item 3 or 4.
(Section 8)
The score calculation unit
determining a brushing position during the toothbrushing operation based on the physical quantity;
evaluating the technique of the toothbrushing action based on the physical quantity;
Item 6. A toothbrushing assistance system according to Item 5, wherein the score is calculated based on the evaluation of the brushing position and the procedure.
(Section 9)
Item 9. A tooth brushing assistance system according to Item 8, wherein the score calculation unit weights the score based on the physical quantity.
(Section 10)
The score calculation unit
evaluating the cleanability of the toothbrushing operation based on the physical quantity;
Evaluating the safety of the toothbrushing operation based on the physical quantity,
Item 9. A toothbrushing assist system according to Item 8, wherein the weight is added to the score based on the evaluation regarding cleanability and the evaluation regarding safety.
(Item 11)
Item 6. A tooth brushing assistance system according to Item 5, wherein the score calculation unit weights the score based on information on oral care of the user.
(Item 12)
Item 6. The toothbrushing assistance system according to Item 5, wherein the ranking output unit outputs the ranking determined based on the highest score among the scores calculated on a specific day or period.
(Item 13)
The score calculation unit calculates the score growth rate based on a plurality of the scores calculated on each of a plurality of different days or periods,
Item 6. The toothbrushing assistance system according to Item 5, wherein the ranking output unit outputs the ranking determined based on a plurality of the elongation rates.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the tooth-brushing assistance server, tooth-brushing assistance apparatus, tooth-brushing assistance system, and tooth-brushing assistance program which raise interest in tooth-brushing can be provided.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tooth brushing assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining functions of a tooth brushing assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of data processing in the tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of data processing in the tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of data processing in the tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the ranking screen displayed on the touch panel display of the toothbrushing assistance device.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components, and redundant description of the same or similar components will be omitted.

[System configuration]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a schematic configuration of a tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

A toothbrushing assistance system 100 according to one embodiment includes a toothbrushing assistance device 1 , a toothbrushing assistance server 2 , and a toothbrush attachment 8 .

An overview of data processing in the toothbrushing assistance system 100 will be described. The toothbrush attachment 8 detects a physical quantity related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9 and transmits a radio signal indicating the detected physical quantity to the toothbrushing assisting device 1 . The toothbrush attachment 8 is attached to the toothbrush 7 and detects physical quantities related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9 using the toothbrush 7 . Illustratively, the physical quantity related to the toothbrushing motion is the acceleration related to the toothbrushing motion.

The toothbrushing assisting device 1 receives from the toothbrush attachment 8 a radio signal indicating a physical quantity related to the toothbrushing action using the toothbrush 7 . The toothbrushing assistance device 1 calculates a score regarding the toothbrushing action by the user 9 based on the physical quantity indicated by the received radio signal, and transmits the calculated score to the toothbrushing assistance server 2 .

The toothbrushing assisting server 2 is communicably connected to the toothbrushing assisting device 1 via the network 99 and acquires the score regarding the toothbrushing action by the user 9 from the toothbrushing assisting device 1 . A plurality of toothbrushing assistance devices 1 are communicably connected to the toothbrushing assistance server 2 , and the toothbrushing assistance server 2 acquires and records a plurality of scores by a plurality of users 9 from the plurality of toothbrushing assistance devices 1 . The toothbrushing assistance server 2 determines the ranking of each user 9 based on the acquired scores, and transmits the determined ranking to the toothbrushing assistance device 1 of each user 9 .

The toothbrushing assisting device 1 displays the ranking of each user 9 determined based on the score regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 on the touch panel display 15 of the toothbrushing assisting device 1 or the like, as shown in FIG. 6, for example.

According to such a toothbrushing assisting system 100 , the scored ranking of the toothbrushing action of each user 9 is displayed on the display screen of the toothbrushing assisting device 1 . As a result, the user 9 can enjoy brushing his teeth with the toothbrush 7 every day as if it were a game, and his interest in brushing his teeth increases. In this way, according to the tooth brushing assistance system 100, by utilizing the sense of competition that arises among a plurality of users 9, it is possible for the users 9 to continue brushing their teeth every day. It can increase interest in brushing teeth.

[Hardware configuration and functional blocks]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of the tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

<Toothbrush attachment>
The toothbrush attachment 8 is attached to the toothbrush 7 and detects physical quantities related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9 using the toothbrush 7 . The toothbrush attachment 8 includes a sensor 81 and a wireless transmitter 82 . Illustratively, the sensor 81 and wireless transmitter 82 can be implemented as circuit blocks housed in the toothbrush module 89 along with a battery (not shown).

The sensor 81 detects physical quantities related to the tooth brushing action by the user 9 . As an example, the physical quantity related to the toothbrushing action is the acceleration related to the toothbrushing action, and the sensor 81 can be, for example, a triaxial acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration. Since the toothbrush attachment 8 is attached to the toothbrush 7, the sensor 81 can detect the physical quantity (acceleration) associated with the movement of the toothbrush 7 as the physical quantity (acceleration) associated with the user's 9 brushing action using the toothbrush 7. can.

Sensor 81 can detect gravitational acceleration caused by the earth's gravity. Since the toothbrush attachment 8 is attached to the toothbrush 7 , the orientation of the toothbrush attachment 8 changes according to the orientation change of the toothbrush 7 , and the direction of the gravitational acceleration detected by the sensor 81 changes. Therefore, the orientation of the toothbrush 7 can be detected from the direction of the gravitational acceleration detected by the sensor 81 . To simplify the description below, detecting the orientation of the toothbrush 7 based on the direction of the gravitational acceleration detected by the sensor 81 is simply referred to as detecting the orientation of the toothbrush 7 with the sensor 81.

Note that the sensor 81 is not limited to an acceleration sensor. The sensor 81 includes a gyro sensor that detects the rotation angle and angular velocity of the toothbrush 7, a magnetic compass that detects geomagnetism, a pressure sensor that detects the pressing force of the toothbrush 7 against the teeth of the user 9, a distance sensor that measures the distance, and position information. It may be a sensor such as a GPS to acquire, a microphone to acquire an audio signal, or an intraoral camera (image sensor) for imaging the inside of the oral cavity, and a plurality of these sensors may be combined and included. According to the intraoral camera, the position of the head portion of the toothbrush 7 in the oral cavity is imaged, and by comparing the imaged intraoral image with various physical quantities detected by the sensor 81, the toothbrush 7 is detected as the tooth in the oral cavity. It is possible to verify which part of the body is in contact with and correct the position of the contacting part.

The radio transmission unit 82 transmits radio signals indicating physical quantities detected by the sensor 81 . Illustratively, various wireless systems such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark) are used for wireless communication between the wireless transmission unit 82 and the wireless reception unit 14 of the tooth brushing assist device 1. be able to.

<Toothbrushing support device>
The tooth brushing assist device 1 includes a control unit 11 , a recording unit 12 , a communication unit 13 , a wireless reception unit 14 and a touch panel display 15 . As an optional configuration, the toothbrushing assist device 1 can further include a camera 16 and a speaker 17 . Exemplarily, the tooth brushing assist device 1 can be configured with a smartphone or tablet computer.

The control unit 11 includes a CPU (not shown) for performing data processing, which will be described later, and a memory (not shown) used as a work area for data processing.

The recording unit 12 is a non-volatile storage device that stores an operating system (OS), various control programs, and data generated by the programs. Solid State Drive), etc.

The communication unit 13 transmits and receives data to and from an external device such as the toothbrushing assistance server 2 via a wired or wireless network.

The radio receiver 14 receives radio signals transmitted from the radio transmitter 82 of the toothbrush attachment 8 .

The touch panel display 15 is configured by integrating a function as a display device and a function as an input device.

The control unit 11 includes a score calculation unit 111 , a score transmission unit 112 and a ranking output unit 113 . These functional blocks in the control unit 11 are realized by the CPU in the control unit 11 executing programs installed in the recording unit 12 or the memory in the control unit 11 .

The score calculation unit 111 calculates a score regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 based on the physical quantity regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 . Scores can be calculated by various procedures.

The score transmission unit 112 transmits the calculated score to the toothbrushing assistance server 2 .

The ranking output unit 113 outputs the ranking of each user 9 determined based on the scores. In this embodiment, the ranking of the user 9 is determined by the toothbrushing assistance server 2 .

<Tooth brushing assistance server>
The toothbrushing assistance server 2 includes a control section 21 , a recording section 22 and a communication section 23 . These control unit 21 , recording unit 22 and communication unit 23 have the same hardware functions as control unit 11 , recording unit 12 and communication unit 13 of tooth brushing assist device 1 . Illustratively, the tooth brushing assistance server 2 can be configured by a server computer.

The control unit 21 includes a score acquisition unit 211 , a ranking determination unit 212 and a ranking transmission unit 213 . These functional blocks in the control unit 21 are realized by the CPU in the control unit 21 executing programs installed in the recording unit 22 or the memory in the control unit 21 .

The score acquisition unit 211 acquires scores related to toothbrushing actions based on physical quantities related to toothbrushing actions by a plurality of users 9 . In the present embodiment, the score of each user 9's tooth brushing action is calculated in each tooth brushing assist device 1. FIG. The score acquisition unit 211 can give the user 9 points that can be used as electronic money, for example, based on the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 acquired from the tooth brushing assistance device 1 .

The ranking determination unit 212 determines the ranking of each user based on the obtained score.

The ranking transmission unit 213 transmits the ranking of each user 9 determined based on the scores to the tooth brushing assist device 1 .

[Data processing procedure]
3 to 5 are flowcharts for explaining the data processing procedure in the tooth brushing assistance system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The processing of steps S1 to S5 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is executed by each functional block provided in the control units 11 and 21, that is, by the control units 11 and 21, respectively.

First, as a preparation before using the tooth brushing assistance system 100, the toothbrush attachment 8 is attached to the toothbrush 7, and the power of the toothbrush attachment 8 is turned on. Next, the toothbrushing assistance program (application) installed in the toothbrushing assistance device 1 is started, and data communication between the toothbrushing assistance device 1 and the toothbrush attachment 8 is set to be possible.

In step S<b>1 , the toothbrushing assisting device 1 receives a radio signal from the toothbrush attachment 8 that indicates a physical quantity related to toothbrushing.

When the user 9 starts a toothbrushing action using the toothbrush 7, the sensor 81 housed in the toothbrush module 89 detects a physical quantity related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9, and the wireless transmission unit 82 transmits a radio signal indicating the detected physical quantity. A signal is sent to the tooth brushing assist device 1 . The toothbrushing assisting device 1 receives the radio signal via the radio receiving section 14 . In this embodiment, the toothbrushing assisting device 1 receives radio signals from the toothbrush attachment 8 for a predetermined period of time after the user 9 starts toothbrushing.

A score is calculated in step S2. In the present embodiment, for the purpose of visualizing the brushing skill of the user 9, the brushing position (brushing part in the oral cavity) during the toothbrushing operation by the user 9 is determined, and the technique (quality) of the toothbrushing operation is evaluated. 9 to calculate the score for the tooth brushing action.

In step S21, the score calculation unit 111 determines the brushing position during the toothbrushing operation by the user 9 based on the physical quantity indicated by the radio signal received in step S1.

In this embodiment, the score calculation unit 111 determines the tooth brushing position of the user 9 using the toothbrush 7 based on the acceleration information acquired via the wireless reception unit 14 . The brushing position is determined to be one of five, for example, lower right back teeth, lower left back teeth, upper right back teeth, upper left back teeth, and upper and lower front teeth. As a method for determining the brushing position, for example, the method described in JP-A-2005-152217 can be used. It should be noted that the brushing position is not limited to being determined as one of the five positions described above. The score calculation unit 111 may determine the brushing position, for example, to any one of the lower right molars, the lower left molars, the upper right molars, and the upper left molars. You may make it determine in detail by a position.

In step S22, the score calculation unit 111 evaluates the technique (quality) of the toothbrushing action by the user 9 based on the physical quantity.

The score calculation unit 111 evaluates the tooth brushing technique of the user 9 based on the acceleration information acquired via the wireless reception unit 14 . As a technique evaluation method, for example, the number of reciprocating motions per unit time (brushing frequency) is calculated from the acceleration information, and it is determined whether or not the number of reciprocating motions is within a preset appropriate range. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate whether the procedure is good or not. Alternatively, it is possible to evaluate whether or not the procedure is good by determining whether or not the posture of the toothbrush 7 detected by the sensor 81 is an appropriate preset posture.

The index indicating the evaluation of the procedure can be, for example, a numerical value. For example, the value of the brushing frequency by the user 9 is calculated in real time, and the brushing frequency value updated in real time is more frequently within the appropriate frequency range (that is, the longer the time), the more the toothbrushing operation by the user 9. It can be judged that the technique of Similarly, regarding the posture of the toothbrush 7, the procedure can be evaluated based on the frequency with which the posture falls within the range of the appropriate posture.

As criteria used for evaluation of technique, an appropriate range of brushing frequencies and an appropriate range of posture of the toothbrush 7 are determined in advance by, for example, a dental hygienist who has undergone brushing training and mastered an ideal brushing technique. and recorded in advance in the recording unit 12 or the like.

It should be noted that the method of evaluating the toothbrushing operation technique by the user 9 is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. The evaluation of the procedure by the score calculation unit 111 is not limited to the example performed based on the acceleration information, and may be performed based on other physical quantities such as pressure and temperature.

In step S23, the score calculation unit 111 calculates a score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 based on the evaluation of the brushing position and technique.

The score calculation unit 111 calculates a score regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 based on the brushing position determined in step S21 and the technique of the toothbrushing action evaluated in step S22. As a score calculation method, for example, a score is calculated for each brushing position (for example, the five positions described above) in the oral cavity of the user 9 based on the brushing position and the evaluation of the technique of the toothbrushing action, and the score is calculated for each brushing position. can be calculated by summing these scores of

For example, while the user 9 is performing a tooth brushing action, if the determined brushing positions are evenly distributed over, for example, the five positions described above, the entire teeth in the oral cavity of the user 9 are being brushed. Therefore, the calculated score increases. Conversely, if the determined brushing positions are not evenly distributed among the five positions described above, and, for example, if the ratio of the brushing positions determined as the lower right molars is small, the oral cavity of the user 9 The calculated score decreases because the lower right molars are not brushed within.

Table 1 illustrates an example of information regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 that can be obtained and calculated through the toothbrush attachment 8 .

In step S3, the score is weighted. Step S3 is an optional step.

In step S31, the score calculation unit 111 evaluates the cleanability of the tooth brushing action by the user 9 based on the physical quantity indicated by the radio signal received in step S1. The index indicating the evaluation of cleanability can be, for example, a numerical value (for example, a real number greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1), like the index indicating the evaluation of the procedure.

Evaluation of cleanability is performed based on, for example, the brushing time, the brushing position, and the way the brush is applied. The brushing time is calculated as a substantial brushing time while the toothbrush 7 is being used, based on the time during which the acceleration information is continuously received via the wireless receiver 14, for example. The brushing position determined and acquired in step S21 is used. How to apply the brush is determined by, for example, combining this brushing position with the attitude of the toothbrush 7 detected by the sensor 81 .

The brushing time is used for evaluation as information on the time during which specific sites in the oral cavity (for example, the five positions described above) are being brushed. The brushing site is used for evaluation as information on specific sites in the oral cavity (for example, the five positions described above). How to apply the brush is used for evaluation as information on the angle to the tooth surface and the angle to the tooth neck. That is, according to these three exemplified elements used for the evaluation of cleanability, whether or not the user 9 is brushing an appropriate part of the oral cavity of the user 9 with an appropriate approach regarding the posture of the toothbrush 7 and spending an appropriate amount of time. It is possible to evaluate whether or not, and whether or not the actual toothbrushing operation by the user 9 contributes to the cleanability can be evaluated.

The time, position, and application (angle) information regarding the appropriate brushing time, brushing position, and application of the brush, which are used as criteria for evaluating cleanability, are the same as the information used for evaluating the procedure. , is determined in advance by, for example, a dental hygienist who is trained in brushing, and is recorded in advance in the recording unit 12 or the like.

In step S32, the score calculation unit 111 evaluates the safety of the tooth brushing action by the user 9 based on the physical quantity indicated by the radio signal received in step S1. The index indicating the evaluation of safety can be, for example, a numerical value (for example, a real number greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1), like the index indicating the evaluation of the procedure.

Safety ratings are based on, for example, brushing pressure. The brushing pressure is a physical quantity related to the tooth brushing action by the user 9, and is obtained by the sensor 81 detecting the pressure when the toothbrush 7 is pressed against a specific site (for example, the five positions described above) in the oral cavity. can be done.

Brushing may damage teeth, gums, oral mucosa, etc., and it is desirable to avoid excessive brushing from the viewpoint of safety. Depending on the user's oral condition and the physical properties (performance) of the toothbrush 7 (oral care tool), the recommended optimum brushing pressure for removing dental plaque is generally 150 grams to 300 grams. For example, for the brushing pressure during the toothbrushing action by the user 9, the difference from the recommended brushing pressure optimum value is deducted, and the brushing pressure by the user 9 is within the recommended brushing pressure range (150 grams to 300 grams). The safety of the tooth brushing action by the user 9 is evaluated by giving a negative score when the condition is outside.

In step S33, the score calculation unit 111 weights the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 based on the evaluation regarding cleanability and the evaluation regarding safety. For example, the score calculation unit 111 indicates the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 obtained in step S2, the numerical value indicating the evaluation regarding cleanliness obtained in step S31, and the evaluation regarding safety obtained in step S32. Add weight to the score by multiplying it with a number.

Ranking is determined in step S4. In this embodiment, user rankings and team rankings are determined based on the scores regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 obtained in steps S2 and S3. In this embodiment, the ranking is determined based on scores (user scores or team scores) aggregated over a predetermined period of time (eg, one week). By aggregating the user's individual score over a predetermined period, the entire tooth brushing behavior (for example, the number of brushing times and time) by the user 9 is converted into points, and the ranking is determined based on the converted points.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of toothbrushing assistance devices 1 are communicably connected to a toothbrushing assistance server 2, and the toothbrushing assistance server 2 stores a plurality of scores from a plurality of users 9 in a plurality of toothbrushing scores. Acquired from the auxiliary device 1 and recorded.

The ranking determining unit 212 determines the user ranking of each user 9 based on multiple scores regarding the tooth brushing actions of the multiple users 9 .

Subsequently, the ranking determination unit 212 determines the team ranking of each team based on the scores of the users 9 belonging to each team. In this embodiment, each user 9 belongs to one of a plurality of teams, and as the score of the team, the average of the scores of the users 9 who are members of the team is calculated, and based on the calculated score of the team , to determine the team ranking for each team. In this embodiment, the team score is calculated by the ranking determination unit 212 based on the scores of the members (users 9) belonging to the team.

In step S5, the ranking is output. FIG. 6 is an example of a ranking screen displayed on the touch panel display of the toothbrushing assistance device.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a ranking screen G1 is displayed on the touch panel display 15 of the tooth brushing assist device 1. FIG. The ranking G11 of each user 9 is displayed together with the score of each user 9 on the ranking screen G1. The ranking G11 of each user 9 is determined based on the score regarding the tooth brushing action by the user 9. FIG. In this embodiment, the team ranking G12 of each team is also displayed on the ranking screen G1 together with the score of each team. The team ranking G12 of each team is determined based on the scores of the users 9 belonging to each team.

In this embodiment, the user ranking and the team ranking are determined based on the score regarding the brushing action of the user 9, but the determination of the team ranking is arbitrary.

As described above, according to the tooth brushing assistance system 100 according to one embodiment, the ranking G11 of each user 9 is displayed on the ranking screen G1. As a result, the user 9 can enjoy brushing his teeth with the toothbrush 7 every day as if it were a game, and his interest in brushing his teeth increases. By utilizing the sense of competition that arises among a plurality of users 9, it is possible to encourage the users 9 to continue brushing their teeth every day, and to increase interest in the boring daily brushing of teeth for those with low interest.

Also, in this embodiment, the team ranking G12 of each team is displayed on the ranking screen G1. Thereby, in addition to the sense of competition that arises among the users 9, it is possible to utilize the sense of competition that arises among the teams, and it is possible to increase the interest of the users 9 in daily toothbrushing.

[Other embodiments]
Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The configuration of the toothbrushing assist system according to the other embodiments described below is the same as that of the toothbrushing assist system according to the first embodiment unless otherwise specified, and redundant description will be omitted.

The determined ranking aspect is not limited to the user ranking and team ranking exemplified in the first embodiment. Various aspects of ranking can be determined and displayed on the display screen of the toothbrushing assisting device 1 . By determining rankings in various aspects, it is possible for the user 9 to continue brushing his teeth daily without becoming bored.

As another aspect of determining rankings, rankings can be determined with respect to high scores. That is, the ranking determining unit 212 determines the user's high score ranking or the team's high score ranking based on the highest score among the scores (user score or team score) calculated on a specific day or period. For example, the ranking determining unit 212 determines the ranking based on the high score calculated for each user 9 on a specific day (for example, August 29th). The ranking output unit 113 displays the determined high score ranking of the user or the high score ranking of the team on the display screen of the tooth brushing assist device 1 .

A high score ranking may be determined and displayed instead of the user ranking and team ranking illustrated in the first embodiment, or may be determined and displayed in addition to the user ranking and team ranking.

As still another aspect of determining the ranking, the ranking regarding the score growth rate can be determined. That is, the score calculation unit 111 calculates the score growth rate based on a plurality of scores (user score or team score) calculated on each of a plurality of different days or periods, and the ranking determination unit 212 calculates the Based on the obtained plurality of growth rates, the user's score growth rate ranking or the team's score growth rate ranking is determined. For example, the score calculation unit 111 calculates the ratio of the average score for the first week to the average score for the sixth week as the score growth rate in a specific period, and the ranking determination unit 212 calculates the calculated score growth rate. determine the ranking based on The ranking output unit 113 displays the determined score growth rate ranking of the user or the determined score growth rate ranking of the team on the display screen of the tooth brushing assist device 1 .

The ranking regarding the score growth rate may be determined and displayed instead of the user ranking and team ranking illustrated in the first embodiment, or may be determined and displayed in addition to the user ranking and team ranking. Furthermore, in addition to the ranking regarding the score growth rate, the ranking regarding the high score, which is exemplified as another aspect of determining the ranking, may be further determined and displayed.

Preferably, these high-score rankings and score-growth rankings, which will be described as another aspect of determining the ranking, are performed in a sudden event (dive-in event) without notifying the user 9 of the ranking in advance. planning). For example, the ranking determination unit 212 of the toothbrushing assistance server 2 displays a message on the touch panel display 15 of the toothbrushing assistance device 1 via the communication units 23 and 13 to announce that an unexpected event will be held. A plurality of users 9 possessing the device 1 can be notified. All of the users 9 are given an opportunity to win a prize in the ranking by such a sudden event held for a specific day or period. As a result, even for the user 9 who has little interest in brushing his teeth, it is possible to improve his awareness of brushing his teeth at a level suitable for the individual, and encourage him to change his specific behavior such as brushing his teeth.

Rankings can be determined in various ways other than those exemplified above. For example, as the ranking among the participants, it is possible to determine the ranking within the area where the user 9 resides (for example, the prefecture), the ranking within the workplace, the ranking by gender, the ranking by age group, and the like. . Rankings of such various aspects can be determined by the ranking determining unit 212 . Further, according to the past ranking of the user 9, the user 9 can be given a class (grade) such as normal, blonde, silver, and gold.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 is weighted based on the evaluation regarding cleanability and the evaluation regarding safety, but considerations when adding weight to the score are limited to these. not. For example, the score calculation unit 111 can add weight to the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9 based on the information regarding oral care illustrated in Table 2. Such information about oral care can be input in advance to the toothbrushing assisting device 1 by the user 9 via the touch panel display 15 and the communication unit 13, for example, through a questionnaire to the user 9, and can be recorded. The questionnaire to the user 9 is, for example, by the ranking determination unit 212 of the toothbrushing assistance server 2 displaying a message on the touch panel display 15 of the toothbrushing assistance device 1 via the communication units 23 and 13, or by the toothbrushing assistance device 1, for example. By sending an e-mail or the like, this can be done to the user 9 who owns the toothbrushing assisting device 1 . A questionnaire can be periodically given to the user 9 for the purpose of making the user conscious of brushing his/her teeth on a daily basis and becoming aware of brushing his/her teeth.

Such weighting of the score based on information on oral care can be performed instead of the processing of steps S31 to S33, and can be additionally performed after weighting the score by the processing of steps S31 to S33. can also

In each of the above-described embodiments, the score calculation unit 111 calculates the score regarding the toothbrushing action of the user 9 based on the evaluation of the brushing position and technique. is not limited to For example, if it is determined that the user 9 has been brushing teeth for longer than a predetermined time (for example, 3 minutes), or if it is determined that the user 9 has responded to a questionnaire from the toothbrushing assistance server 2, the score The calculation unit 111 may further add the score. Alternatively, the score calculation unit 111 may add or limit the score depending on whether or not the toothbrushing assistance program (application) in the toothbrushing assistance device 1 is activated. Alternatively, the score calculation unit 111 may add the score as a bonus score when the user 9 achieves the set target value. The type of target value can be, for example, the brushing time of one time or a day, the number of times of toothbrushing within a predetermined period (for example, 10 days, etc.), etc. The target value can be, for example, the above-mentioned questionnaire answers or , can be set based on the score for the user's 9 past brushing actions. Since each user 9 can individually set the target value, it is possible to set a target that matches the level of each individual and compete for scores and rankings. It can improve behavior and encourage specific behavioral changes such as brushing teeth.

Also, based on the score regarding the tooth brushing action of the user 9, it is possible to give the user 9 points that can be used as electronic money, for example. As a result, the user 9 is given an incentive for the toothbrushing action, and even the user 9 who has little interest in toothbrushing can be encouraged to make a specific behavioral change such as toothbrushing.

Further, for example, when the user 9 acquires a score equal to or greater than a predetermined value, for example, as a cumulative value, medals such as normal, blonde, silver, and gold are given to the user 9 according to the value of the acquired score. can be done. Medals may be given to the user 9 when the user 9 achieves the target setting values of the information on oral care shown in Table 2 instead of the cumulative score.

In each of the above-described embodiments, by displaying the ranking of each user 9 regarding the scored toothbrushing action, the sense of competition that arises among a plurality of users 9 is utilized. You can convert it to index. For example, instead of displaying the ranking, the game progresses based on the score of the user 9's brushing action. It can be an app.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the score calculation unit 111 of the toothbrushing assistance device 1 calculates the score of the toothbrushing action by the user 9, but the score of the toothbrushing operation by the user 9 is may be calculated. Further, the toothbrush attachment 8 may directly transmit a radio signal indicating a physical quantity related to toothbrushing operation to the toothbrushing assistance server 2 . In this case, the toothbrush attachment 8 is previously associated with information such as a user ID that uniquely identifies the user 9 who uses the toothbrushing assisting device 1 in the toothbrushing assisting system 100, and the physical quantity related to the toothbrushing operation is associated with the user ID. together with the toothbrushing assistance server 2. The toothbrushing assistance server 2 calculates the score and determines the ranking for the user 9 having the received user ID, and the toothbrushing assistance device 1 displays the ranking and score for the user 9 having the user ID received from the toothbrushing assistance server 2 on the touch panel display 15 . display above. The user IDs of the tooth brushing assisting device 1, the toothbrush attachment 8, and the tooth brushing assisting server 2 are associated in advance.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the tooth brushing position of the user 9 is determined based on the acceleration information detected by the sensor 81, but the method of determining the tooth brushing position in the oral cavity is not limited to this. For example, an intraoral image of the user 9 who is using the toothbrush 7 while brushing teeth is captured using the camera 16 or an intraoral camera as the sensor 81, and the captured intraoral image is displayed on the touch panel display 15. do. On the touch panel display 15, a guide display for guiding the brushing position may be displayed together with the captured intraoral image, and the brushing position displayed as the guide display may be used as it is for the determination of the brushing position. In this case, it is assumed that the user 9 is performing the toothbrushing action while positioning the toothbrush 7 in the oral cavity according to the guidance displayed on the touch panel display 15 .

In each of the above-described embodiments, the appropriate range of brushing frequency and the range of appropriate posture of the toothbrush 7, which are the criteria used for evaluating the technique, are determined in advance by a dental hygienist who has mastered an ideal brushing technique. However, the criteria used to evaluate the procedure can vary depending on the position of brushing in the oral cavity. Also, the criteria used for evaluating the procedure can be adjusted according to the attributes of the user 9, for example. For example, when the user 9 is an elderly person (for example, 65 years old or older), it is possible to lower the brushing frequency and lengthen the brushing time as an appropriate numerical range used for evaluating the procedure. Further, for example, when there are places in the oral cavity that are difficult to brush due to the state of the user's 9 dentition, the criteria used for evaluating the procedure can be appropriately adjusted according to the state of the dentition. Alternatively, the criteria used for evaluation of the procedure can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the state of adhesion of dental plaque.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the team score is calculated by the ranking determination unit 212 in step S4, but the team score may be calculated in advance by the score calculation unit 111 in step S2.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the communication unit 13 and the wireless reception unit 14 are configured separately in the toothbrushing assisting device 1, but they can be configured integrally.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the toothbrush 7 and the toothbrush attachment 8 are configured separately, but they can be configured integrally. In this case, the toothbrush 7 can be an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush 7 may be a replacement brush for an electric toothbrush.

In each of the above-described embodiments, it is assumed that wireless communication between the toothbrush attachment 8 and the toothbrushing assisting device 1 is online when the toothbrush attachment 8 is used. Wireless communication with the toothbrushing assisting device 1 does not always need to be online. The toothbrush attachment 8 can be equipped with a non-volatile memory (not shown) and a micro control unit (not shown) so that wireless communication between the toothbrush attachment 8 and the toothbrushing assist device 1 can be off-line. , the toothbrush attachment 8 can store physical quantities related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9 detected by the sensor 81 in a non-volatile memory together with, for example, time stamps (the start and end times of the toothbrushing action). The wireless transmission unit 82 of the toothbrush attachment 8 transmits non-volatile data as offline data when wireless communication becomes online, for example, when a toothbrushing assistance program (app) in the toothbrushing assistance device 1 is activated or during background operation. The physical quantity and time stamp related to the toothbrushing action by the user 9 stored in the memory can be transmitted to the wireless receiving section 14 of the toothbrushing assisting device 1 .

1 toothbrushing auxiliary device 2 toothbrushing auxiliary server 7 toothbrush 8 toothbrush attachment 9 user 11 control unit 111 score calculation unit 112 score transmission unit 113 ranking output unit 12 recording unit 13 communication unit 14 wireless reception unit 15 touch panel display 16 camera 17 speaker 21 control Unit 211 Score acquisition unit 212 Ranking determination unit 213 Ranking transmission unit 22 Recording unit 23 Communication unit 81 Sensor 82 Wireless transmission unit 89 Toothbrush module 100 Auxiliary system

Claims (7)

a score acquisition unit that acquires a score related to the toothbrushing action based on physical quantities related to the toothbrushing action by a plurality of users;
a ranking determination unit that determines the ranking of each user based on the score;
tooth brushing assistant server. Each user belongs to one of several teams,
The toothbrushing assistance server according to claim 1, wherein the ranking determination unit determines the ranking of each team based on the scores of users belonging to each team. a score calculation unit that calculates a score related to the toothbrushing action based on physical quantities related to the user's toothbrushing action;
a ranking output unit that outputs a ranking of each user determined based on the score;
A tooth brushing aid comprising: Each user belongs to one of several teams,
4. The tooth brushing assist device according to claim 3, wherein said ranking output unit outputs a ranking of each team determined based on said scores of users belonging to each team. 3. The toothbrushing assistance server according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the toothbrush module transmits a radio signal, the toothbrushing assistance device according to claim 3 or 4 receives the wireless signal, and the toothbrushing assistance server is communicably connected to the toothbrushing assistance device. A tooth brushing assistance system comprising
The toothbrush module includes:
a sensor that detects physical quantities related to tooth brushing actions by a plurality of users;
A wireless transmission unit that transmits a wireless signal indicating the physical quantity detected by the sensor,
The tooth brushing assist device comprises:
a radio receiver that receives the radio signal that indicates the physical quantity;
a score transmission unit that transmits the score to the tooth brushing assistance server;
further comprising
The tooth brushing assistance server
A toothbrushing assistance system further comprising a ranking transmission unit that transmits the ranking to the toothbrushing assistance device. A toothbrushing assistance program for causing a computer to function as each part of the toothbrushing assistance server according to claim 1 or 2. A tooth brushing assistance program for causing a computer to function as each part of the tooth brushing assistance device according to claim 3 or 4.

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