The study needs to be focused on smart toothbrushes for determining an amount or location of dental plaque or biofilm in oral cavity. The determination of amount or location of dental plaque or biofilm as per biomarkers present in oral cavity, by light signals captured through optical sensors. The obtained signals are transmitted to interactive mobile app via different data communication means, especially wireless transmission modes. The app provides feedback to user and suggest the way or area to improve oral hygiene.

Technologies covering cancer detection during the brushing will be more preferable for the study. By using such technologies market area of oral cancer can be targeted.

Conventional techniques use sensors, like – pressure sensor, moisture sensor, magnetic type sensors. However, these sensors have limitations, such as durability, preciseness, faultiness. Thus, there is a need of optical sensor or light based sensors to detect presence of plaque, biofilm or debris.

We understand that the Client is interested in technologies and techniques to improve oral hygiene via smart toothbrushes having optical or light based sensors.

The Client is looking for answers to the following questions -

• Recommendations – What are the different technologies in smart toothbrush domain having optical or light based sensors?
• Licensing opportunity – What are the recent advancements and who are working on these advancements? This could be further screened to identify potential patent licensing opportunity.

The increasing awareness among the public over the oral and dental hygiene is creating opportunities for the exploration of advancements in smart toothbrushes.

Thus, following important parameters to be considered for the study and we understand that the Client is primarily interested in any latest breakthrough technology fulfilling the parameters:

5. Optical or light based sensors to detect plaque, biofilm of debris in the oral cavity.
5. The sensor detected signals need to be sent to mobile app
5. The signals should be transmitted through wireless communication modes only.
5. Dental zone tracking system
5. Complete cleaning of teeth
5. Monitoring and controlling parameters like Timer for brushing, Brushing frequency, Indication of replacement of brush head, toothbrush position/brushing pattern, Brushing speed control, Indication of excessive pressure, etc.

How we plan to make it comprehensive and focused

1. Identify and rank possible solutions

Prepare a list of all possible solutions and rank them based on a predefined framework, agreed upon with the client during the course of study.

2. Keep the client's questions in mind

Keep the client's questions in mind during the course of the project and analyse the reference extract the relevant answers – aim is to solve a specific technological problem.

Patent-based research and technology landscape:
Patent-based technology and product landscape analysis can put a full snapshot of relevant aspects and relevant technology.

3. Identify relevant technologies

Find the technologies that address specific challenges or provide solutions in a specific domain of smart toothbrush.

4. Iterative refinement of search queries

Iterative refinement to search queries based on the review of relevant dataset to capture missed keywords, assignees and patent classification.

5. Multiple search strategies

Multiple strategies will be used to capture relevant data:

• Assignee searches
• Keyword and patent classification searches
• Market size
• Recent innovations
• Benchmark data

6. Target the domain

Target the domain from all possible angles. Prepare targeted queries for all of the following areas:

• Sensing systems
• Data communication means
• Biomarkers
• Oral conditions
• Artificial Intelligence
• etc., fulfilling the defined parameters.

7. Search intent / regular basis

Send inquiries to client on a regular basis so that the elaborations can be made in a timely manner, if needed.

Data clustering and classification based on a taxonomy category.

8. Deep dive into knowledge

Deep dive into gaining basic knowledge on the smart toothbrushes.

9. Combination of technical and scientific research

A collection of technical and scientific documentation on smart toothbrush will be obtained by research, analysis and expansion of information carried out using publicly specialized personal information of databases – we will use the combination of patent, scientific literature and market study to gain deeper knowledge insights.

10. Data cleaning

Data clean up by removing noise such as references related to the points highlighted in “exclusion criteria”.

11. Patent analysis

During Patent analysis - will not only review the description and claims but also perform analysis of the file history to check for prior art and how the examiner's rejection and amendments were made. To uncover what's new and how is it better?

Further, we will also review the forward citations of the useful documents to obtain the answers to see who are further using the technology and working in the same area/domain – is this technology being researched/further?

 

 

Proposed strategy – Broad steps

Phase I

Step 1 – Identify various variety of Smart toothbrushes

Based on patent and non-patent scientific literature, we will identify the various latest technologies for smart toothbrushes, with matching scientific literature.

Step 2 – Identifying the various latest technologies as per given parameters, etc.

Identify the latest technologies based on the defined parameters and relevant criteria.

Step 3 – Identify Key Insights

We will derive insights from the following parameters after collating analysis of patent and non-patent data and focused questions:

• How to improve oral and dental hygiene?
• How to remove and better assess plaque?
• Of the dental zones.
• How extra-features play an important role in the success of toothbrushes innovation.

Step 4 – Ranking

Rank the identified technologies according to the ranking parameters.

Phase II

Step 5 – Licensing Opportunity

We will perform an in-depth analysis to identify potential partners for patent licensing.

Phase III

Step 6 – Business Case

Business case for one or two recommended solutions/partners.

 

Proposed Strategy – Detailed Methodology

 

Step 01 – Understanding of objective and scope

We understand that the project would include technological solutions in the domain of smart toothbrush.

 

Step 02 – Database identification process

Patents databases – We will perform a comprehensive search on one or more of the third-party patent databases.

Non-patent databases (Scientific) – We will conduct a research via web and peer-reviewed or comprehensive search on one or more of the non-patent databases.

 

Step 03 – Data set extraction

Patent Dataset: Keyword / Assignee / Inventor / Class based searching (IPC, USPC, CPC) / Citation searching.

Non-patent Dataset: Keyword / Company / patent-based searching / Citation based searching.

Search portfolio: Keyword, Product name-based searching.

 

Step 04 – Dataset analysis

We will analyze the relevant literature by performing manual analysis. While analyzing the literature, the objective and the inputs provided will be taken into consideration.

We will classify the relevant patent and non-patent dataset into a detailed taxonomy.

 

Step 05 – Selection of additional data extraction

After performing dataset analysis, we will identify the individual set of identified key players to analyze the dataset in a comprehensive way.

 

Step 06 – Ranking of technology solutions

Ranking of technology solutions, wherein the top patent dataset will be used to identify top solutions and key recommendations.

 

Step 07 – Report preparation

Excel Based Report will provide project overview / detailed methodology and list of relevant patent and non-patent literature.

Step 08 – Key Solutions / Recommendations

What are the top solutions in the domain? What are the key activities by the key players in the domain? Recommendations for licensing or acquisition.

 

 

Way Forward

 

The proposed study will provide a comprehensive, focused and technology-driven assessment of smart toothbrush technologies that use optical or light-based sensing to detect and determine the presence, amount, or location of dental plaque, biofilm, or debris within the oral cavity. The study will particularly focus on solutions in which sensor-generated signals are wirelessly transmitted to a mobile application, enabling real-time feedback, dental-zone tracking and personalized recommendations t