If ever there was a good time to instill good oral hygiene practices, it would be during childhood. Getting your kids to brush their teeth doesn’t have to be like pulling teeth. At least, not if the Brush Monster has anything to say about it.
Launching soon on Kickstarter, this augmented reality enabled toothbrush for kids comes from Samsung spinoff Kitten Planet, and promises to encourage and educate kids on healthy brushing habits. Better still, it gives parents the opportunity to analyze brushing data via the companion mobile app.
Geared toward children between the ages of 3 and 8, the Brush Monster promises to make the practice of brushing teeth one that is actually engaging. By leveraging a step-by-step augmented reality guide, this toothbrush hopes to make kids part of the dental hygiene story, and make a game out of cleaning their teeth.
To use the Brush Monster, you’ll first need to connect it to the iOS or Android mobile app. Once you launch the app, kids will be able to follow the storyline — it starts with an evil character named “Green Mold” capturing the hero of our story, the Brush Monster. The only way to save the protagonist, of course, is to follow the detailed instructions as to where, when, and how to brush their teeth.
As they clean their little mouths, the Brush Monster’s AR-equipped app will serve as a magic mirror of sorts, placing sparkle, monster ears, and goggles onto the eager brusher’s face. Plus, the monster and AR icons will be regularly changed so as to make the game seem like new each morning and night. At the end of a brushing session, children are rewarded with a star, and given the opportunity to take a selfie (really, you gotta start ’em young).
There are 3D motion sensors and timers within the brush so parents can see how well kids are actually brushing their teeth, and if they’re missing any key areas. When they’ve done a good job, their teeth are seen in the app as white. If they have room to improve, the teeth are shown as yellow. This gives parents the opportunity to step in and help as needed, and hopefully, prevent cavities, both present and future.
“At some point, every young parent struggles to get their child to brush his or her teeth. As a group of fathers ourselves, we wanted to address this issue head on by creating a product that makes brushing a highly dynamic, engaging and fun process,” said Kitten Planet co-founder and CEO Jongho Choi. “Utilizing augmented reality technology, Brush Monster walks kids through the entire brushing process in an entertaining, step-by-step manner that is highly satisfying. This ultimately does more than encourage a healthy and necessary habit — it fosters independence and confidence at an extremely important stage of childhood development.”
The Brush Monster is now seeking $20,000 worth of backing on Kickstarter. While you should always exercise caution before backing a crowdfunding campaign, if you’re interested, the team is offering early bird pricing of $49 for the toothbrush with 12 extra brush heads, with an estimated shipment date of July 2018.
Updated on May 15: The Brush Monster is now live on Kickstarter.
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