Report #2

Transcript

Report #2 Philips Sonicare – FlexCare+ Corey Levin October 19, 2010 Table of Contents Artifact .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Image ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Functional Requirements .............................................................................................................................. 4 History ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 Manufacturing .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Design Elements............................................................................................................................................ 5 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 Table of Figures Figure 1 - Original Image ............................................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2 - Final Image .................................................................................................................................... 3 Page | 1 Artifact The artifact under review is a sonic toothbrush, which is manufactured as part of the Philips Sonicare line of toothbrushes. Aside from its sleek styling, the FlexCare+ toothbrush includes several features that distinguish it from the majority of toothbrushes on the market. Among other features, the FlexCare+ includes several cleaning modes. The “clean” mode allots two minutes of cleaning at a normal level of intensity. The second mode is known as the “gum care” mode, and allows for three minutes of cleaning for both the teeth and the gum line. The “massage” function operates at a low intensity purely for the purpose of massaging the gum line, while the “sensitive mode operates in a similar fashion for cleaning sensitive teeth. Also included with the brush are removable heads, which allow for the replacement of heads once they become too old or damaged. At an average price of $130, the FlexCare+ is not necessarily an easy sell. However, a closer analysis of the design elements of this particular brush will shed some light on the company’s top selling oral healthcare product. Image Figure 1 - Original Image Page | 2 Figure 2 - Final Image The image was taken with a 14.1 Megapixel Sony Cybershot (DSC-W330) digital camera. The focal length of the lens used was 4.7 mm with an F-number of 2.7. The shutter speed was approximately 1/100 seconds. The image was taken with the camera approximately 2 inches from the surface of the object. The image was taken outdoors, with natural lighting conditions. The light level was relatively low, being that the picture was taken in the early morning. To accommodate for the lighting, an ISO setting of 400 was used. In addition, no flash was used when taking the picture. The image was enhanced through the use of Adobe Photoshop. Distracting background features and surface imperfections were removed using the clone stamp. The brightness and contrast were both increased to enhance details on the concrete surface. Also, the RGB curves were adjusted in order to even out the coloring of the image as well as highlight the glowing function selections. Page | 3 Functional Requirements The practice of cleaning one’s teeth is not a new concept; people have been doing it for centuries. However, the method for cleaning as well as the overall effectiveness of the devices used has changed over the years. Present day cleaning involves the use of a brush to remove oral plaque from the surface one’s teeth. Electric toothbrushes attempt to increase the amount of cleaning by increasing the speed of brushing. As a result, modern electric toothbrushes operate between 2500 and 7500 brush strokes per minute. Unfortunately, this method for cleaning teeth is limited to actual contact between the teeth and cleaning bristles. More often than not, several crevasses and areas of the mouth are left untouched. Sonic toothbrushes aim to rectify this situation by using the fluid present near teeth to perform additional cleaning. Sonic toothbrushes operate between 30,000 and 40,000 brush strokes per minute. Obviously, this speed has a profound effect on the amount of cleaning that results from contact between teeth and the cleaning bristles. In addition, the high speed results in the development of turbulent forces at the tips of the bristles. These turbulent forces impart energy to the fluid and create small pressure waves, bubbles, and shear forces that help clean surfaces that are not exposed to direct contact with the bristles. Research has measured this cleaning force to extend to a 4 mm radius from the brush head. This secondary cleaning is one of the key features that define a sonic toothbrush, as well as what makes sonic toothbrushes popular in the marketplace today. History The first electric toothbrushes came to the marketplace around 50 years ago. Since then, there has been little advancement in the technology up into the 1990’s. In fact, most of the changes to electric toothbrushes to this point have been in the form of safety features. In 1992, a small company called GEMTech introduced the first sonic toothbrush at a periodontal convention in Florida. In 1995, GEMTech changed its name to Optiva Corporation. In October 2000, Philips acquired Optiva and named it to its Oral Healthcare division. Since then, Philips has been producing the Sonicare line of sonic toothbrushes, which has remained the top selling brush of its type since 2001. Manufacturing The main housing for the FlexCare+ is made out of ABS/PA plastic while the removable brush heads are made out of PCTA plastic and nylon bristles. Included with the brush are several accessories, including a travel case and hygienic travel caps. Both of these items are made from plastic and are likely a product of injection molding. In addition, the unit housing, UV sanitizer housing, and charging base were likely made through injection molding and assembled using both an automated sequence as well as hand Page | 4 assembly. The removable brush heads, while also being injection molded, are evidently assembled using an automated process. Design Elements Clearly, in order to sell a toothbrush that costs $130, several extraordinary design characteristics need to be present. The benefits of using a sonic toothbrush are well documented and understood. Therefore, the market for sonic toothbrushes exists separate from all other toothbrush sales. In order for a sonic toothbrush to succeed, it must compete with other sonic toothbrushes on the market, all of which have similar cleaning abilities. As a result, the FlexCare+ is packed full of useful engineering that has helped push it to the front of today’s toothbrush market. One of the most unique design elements of the FlexCare+ is its UV sanitizer. Very few brushes on the market included such a feature, which is why it is such a key addition. Enclosed in the sanitizer housing is a single UV bulb. At the base of the bulb are two posts for positioning up to two removable heads. Once the hinging door is closed, a button on top of the housing initiates a ten-minute cleaning cycle. In the process, 99% of all bacteria and viruses are removed from the brush head. Another useful design feature is the Quad Pacer timer. Most dentists recommend at least two minutes of continuous brushing per cycle. To accomplish this, the FlexCare+ includes a timer that pauses and beeps to signal the time of brushing. Furthermore, to promote even cleaning, Philips sectioned the mouth into four quadrants. The Quad Pacer allots 30 seconds for each quadrant of the mouth, thus providing two minutes of total cleaning. One design element that is often overlooked on the FlexCare+ is the color coded rings that snap fit to the bottom of the removable heads. These rings are interchangeable and come in an assortment of colors. The use of the rings helps distinguish one removable head form another. As a result, several people can use a single FlexCare+ base with multiple heads. This feature is a critical selling point because it helps reduce the cost of sonic cleaning as a whole. The FlexCare+ is powered by a Li-Ion rechargeable battery. A full charge provides enough power for 42 two-minute brushings (3 weeks of use). In order to charge the battery, an induction charger is used. Though most consumers do not know what induction charging is, this feature proves to be one of the most innovative additions to the FlexCare+. Rather than using metal contacts to transmit charge, two coils exchange a magnetic field between the charging base and the brush handle in order to induce a charge. This feature was added purely for safety. Since there are no metal contacts on the device, there is little risk of shock when used near water. This feature is common for sonic toothbrushes and other personal grooming devices that are used in the bathroom. Obviously, a great deal of useful engineering has been used to design the FlexCare+. In fact, the device is so well-designed that one would be hard-pressed to improve it. However, one obvious flaw that is inherent with most sonic toothbrushes is their price. Lowering the price of such devices could greatly Page | 5 increase their popularity among consumers. Therefore, advancements in the design to minimize the cost could be made in the future. Summary In its entirety, the FlexCare+ sonic toothbrush is a very impressive product. Several small features function together to make this particular toothbrush stand out as one of the finest on the market. Despite its overall costs, clever engineering and a stylish exterior have helped all Sonicare toothbrushes gain popularity among consumers. It will be interesting to see what the future holds in store for the advancement of these devices, as well as the entire field of oral healthcare as time moves forward. Page | 6