Everyday objects are getting smarter all the time, what with ordinary products like shoes, watches and weighing machines getting jazzed up with sensors that connect to a smartphone and deliver information. Beauty major L’Oreal is now getting in on this trend by announcing the world’s first smart hairbrush at CES 2017.
Dubbed the Hair Coach, the product is the brainchild of L’Oreal, Nokia-owned Withings, and Kerastase. The first claims forceful brushing is one of the leading causes of hair damage such as breakage and split ends. The intelligent brush is supposed to put an end to the practice by constantly analyzing your combing technique and deliver insights on how to improve it.
The Hair Coach has been equipped with all kinds of sensors to make this possible. For instance, a microphone detects frizziness by listening to the sound your hair makes, a conductivity sensor checks if your tresses are wet or dry, and a gyroscope analyses brushing patterns to measure the force with which you comb your locks.
All the data collected by the Hair Coach is automatically transmitted to your smartphone via Bluetooth Low Energy or Wi-Fi. The companion app crunches all the information together and lets you follow your hair health progress over time, complete with score charts and assessments declaring your mane as fragile.
The application measures your hair health on the basis of Damage, Breakage, Tangling, and Dryness. It then recommends tips to improve brushing habits and insights into how to avoid hair damage. The tool even delivers a personalized hair care routine to improve your rating, an obvious tie-in for Kerastase to hawk its wares.
The Hair Coach will be available in fall of 2017 priced at $200.