Playful Toothbrush: UbiComp Technology for Teaching Tooth Brushing to Kindergarten Children

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Playful Toothbrush UbiComp Technology for
Teaching Tooth Brushing to Kindergarten Children
Computer Science and Information Engineering,
National Taiwan University Y.-C. Chang
C.-J. Huang H.-H. Chu Graduate Institute of
Networking and Multimedia, NTU P.-Y.
Chi School of Occupational Therapy, NTU J.-L.
Lo N.-Y. Hsu H.-Y. Wang Y.-L. Hsieh

• CHI '08 Kids Stuff

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Outline

• Introduction
• Design Considerations
• Prototype Design
• User Study
• Contribution and Future Work

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Introduction

• Encourage new behaviors or modifying existing
  ones
• Poor habits are not observable
• Direct intervention by therapists is not possible
• Opportunities for UbiComp
• Implement direct and effective behavior
  intervention
• Target specific functional behavior at the
  naturalistic environment

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Introduction

• Kindergarten Children
• Limited manual dexterity and cognitive ability
• Sugary toothpaste or musical feedback is limited
  attractive
• Playful Toothbrush System
• Extend effectiveness of adult supervision
• Game

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Introduction

• Proper brushing method
• Horizontal scrubbing
• Brushing sequence
• Instruction method
• Verbal instruction
• Modeling
• Physical guidance

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Introduction

• Purpose (dislike brushing)
• Make the task more attractive
• The game should be simple and playful
• Purpose (brushing habitually)
• Teach proper brushing technique
• The game must engage children in learning proper
  tooth brusing

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Introduction

• Intrinsic motivation
• Pay more attention to the process than to the
  product or outcome
• Internal control
• Individuals are responsible for their actions
• Suspension of reality
• Role of imagination during play

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Design Considerations

• Enjoyment of game playing to achieve volitional
  change
• Engagement to minimize the performance needed
• Automation to help children learn tooth brushing
  skill

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Design Considerations

• Immediate feedback that is clearly understandable
  and prominently
• Associate tooth brushing with game play and
  having fun
• Avoid unnecessary involvement of instructors

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Prototype Design
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Prototype Design
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Prototype Design

• Vision-based brushing tracker system
• Modeling horizontal brushing strokes
• Brushing Tracker Algorithm

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Prototype Design

• Additional implementation details
• Accuracy of brushing tracker system
• Control 98.6
• Un-control 93.2
• Brushing game
• 10 times
• 7 layers of plaque
• 2 min.
• Each area receive 5 sec.

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User Study

• Age 72-81 months (mean-77)
• Gender 5 girls 8 boys
• Context Sink in the restroom

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User Study

• Procedure
• Day 1 Pre-trial for therapists
• Day 2-3 Pretest
• Day 4-8 Training
• Day 9-10 Posttest
• Day 11 Follow-up

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User Study
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User Study
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Contribution and Future Work

• Improve the tooth brushing skills
• Integration of UbiComp technology with
  professional training
• Other developmental tasks