A novel motion generation strategy for robotic tooth brushing simulator

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a robotic tooth brushing simulator mimicking realistic tooth brushing motions, thereby facilitating greater understanding of the generation of realistic tooth brushing motion for optimal design of toothbrushes. Design/methodology/approach – Tooth brushing motions were measured via a motion capture system. Different motion patterns of brushing were analysed. A series of elliptical motion segments were generated by interpolating ellipse‐like trajectories. Furthermore, a path generation algorithm for brushing simulation was proposed. A path planning system incorporating robot motion control was developed to simulate realistic tooth brushing. The generality and efficiency of the proposed algorithm was demonstrated through simulation and experimental results. Findings – The interpolation of ellipse‐like trajectories can generate elliptical motion segments. Furthermore, realistic tooth brushing can be achieved by integrating the elliptical motion segments into the path generated from the surfaces of teeth. The brushing simulator demonstrated good reproducibility of clinically standardized tooth brushing. Practical implications – A robotic toothbrush assessment system is a potential application to the robotic tooth brushing simulator by incorporating control of brushing variables, including brushing pressure, speed and temperature. Originality/value – This study demonstrates the feasibility of using robotic simulation techniques towards improved realistic human tooth brushing motions simulation for optimal design of tooth brushes.