Grush Smart Toothbrush Wins IoT Reality Show

There’s no shortage of consumer-focused IoT devices, some of which are clearly ridiculous, including a Bluetooth-enabled toilet. There are also IoT devices that have severe security issues, such as the Simplisafe home security system.

Then there’s IoT-related stuff aimed at kids where one wonders what the business was thinking, such as Cracker Jack’s move to replace toys with QR codes to give kids a “one-of-a-kind mobile experience.”

Perhaps the Grush toothbrush, however, is a smart IoT move.

The Grush smart toothbrush, aimed at kids 12 and under, connects to a mobile app that displays a cartoon monster, Grush. As kids brush, they can see Grush’s teeth getting cleaner. The goal is to make brushing fun and help kids understand what is happening when they do it. The toothbrush took the top spot on the Intel-sponsored “America’s Greatest Makers” reality show.

One of the team members, Anubha Sacheti, a dentist and mother in the Boston area, said in a statement: “As a dentist, I have been committed to preventing tooth decay, a common chronic disease among children. As a mother, I wanted to help end the ‘battle in the bathroom’ over brushing. This dream is now a reality, as soon as Grush will be available in America.”

“America’s Greatest Makers” is a collaboration between Intel and MGM Television, and is produced by “Survivor’ and “The Voice” producer Mark Burnette. It uses as a baseline Intel’s Curie module, a computer the size of a button designed for wearables and edge devices.

Team Grush beat out Team Aseah, who created a smart glove for weight training; Team HandsON, who created a smart glove that translates American Sign Language into text and voice; and Team NWTN, who created a smart football helmet that tracks concussive hits.

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