Kolibree is a French company based in
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
that is known for developing a
smart toothbrush. ''Colibri'' means "
hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...
" in French; perhaps a reference to their signature product's light weight, about 64g.
Kickstarter
In April 2014, the company launched a
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
crowdfunding campaign for its device and raised over $100,000.
Design
The toothbrush connects via
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
to a smartphone app and can tell users whether they are brushing well. Also, available is a choice of
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
, in which good brushing is rewarded with high scores in the game. The toothbrush has removable heads; thus the same brush can be shared by different people without worry of contamination.
AI toothbrush
In 2017, at CES Las Vegas, Kolibree introduced ARA, an updated version of its toothbrush, promising
AI software that records and detects bad brushing habits. Using
computer vision
Computer vision is an interdisciplinary scientific field that deals with how computers can gain high-level understanding from digital images or videos. From the perspective of engineering, it seeks to understand and automate tasks that the hum ...
technology,
motion tracking and the phone's front-facing camera, incentivizes kids to brush their teeth with an
augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory. AR can be de ...
gaming app.
AR toothbrush
In 2018 at CES Las Vegas, Kolibree introduced Magik, a kids' version of its toothbrush with
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory. AR can be de ...
detection that helps children play with a smartphone App while cleaning their teeth.
"hum" by Colgate
In August 2020,
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American multinational consumer products company headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The company specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health car ...
unveiled to Wall Street the "hum" smart toothbrush, developed in partnership with Kolibree.
See also
*
Essilor
*
SpineGuard
SpineGuard, S.A. is a French company that develops and markets probes for the enhancement of spine surgery. The probes, termed PediGuard devices, assist spine surgeons in more accurately drilling a pilot hole in preparation for pedicle screw ins ...
*
Vacuactivus
Vacuactivus is an international company for the production and sale of cryotherapy chambers and equipment for fitness rehabilitation, founded in 2000. It is one of the three largest manufacturers of cryotherapy chambers and cryo-equipment in the w ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Company websiteArticle on Kolibree Magik toothbrush on Kidscreen.comKickstarter campaign for KolibreePress statement for "hum"
Dental companies
French brands
Medical technology companies of France