3 ms·

Just to add: It's also used to change the cleaning mode of the handle to match the type of the brush attached.

by GoToRO 3y ago

masklinn 3y ago
I assume it’s cleaning mode as in vibration pattern? I ask because I have an old base with an UV brush compartment but I’m quite sure the base has no NFC.
- exmadscientist 3y ago
  It's probably not even the pattern, just the drive frequency. The system is operated just off resonance, so getting the frequency right is really important. You can do this easily with feedback from the drive assembly and no NFC, or you can do with with NFC to tell you what's on the other end and just do it open-loop. The feedback method is cheaper (I think), so it's what was done previously. But if you want brush head ID, you go the other route....
- GoToRO 3y ago
  My guess as well. I just tested it. The frequency seems to stay the same. Tongue clean mode seems to move the brush left to right. Normal clean mode seems to move it up and down as well. Hard to tell it vibrates so fast on small distances.
- jrockway 3y ago
  Yup, exactly. They have things like whitening brushes that use a longer-than-2-minute cycle, and tongue cleaners that do a 30 second cycle. Switching the brush head switches the mode there. You can also switch manually with the buttons on the brush. Everyone in the Twitter thread seems really mad about the whole thing, but it's a fine use of NFC if you ask me. Remember, the brush is authenticating the handle with the password, not the other way around. This scheme is not useful for DRM, but is useful if you use more than one type of brush and if you want to be alerted when it's time to change your brush. I just change them on the 1st of the month, but if you want even more life than that, the feature is available. You aren't screwing over Sonicare by using a worn-out brush, you're just spending 2 minutes not cleaning your teeth.

Just to add: It's also used to change the cleaning mode of the handle to match the type of the brush attached.

by GoToRO 3y ago

Just to add: It's also used to change the cleaning mode of the handle to match the type of the brush attached.

I assume it’s cleaning mode as in vibration pattern? I ask because I have an old base with an UV brush compartment but I’m quite sure the base has no NFC.

exmadscientist 3y ago
It's probably not even the pattern, just the drive frequency. The system is operated just off resonance, so getting the frequency right is really important. You can do this easily with feedback from the drive assembly and no NFC, or you can do with with NFC to tell you what's on the other end and just do it open-loop. The feedback method is cheaper (I think), so it's what was done previously. But if you want brush head ID, you go the other route....
GoToRO 3y ago
My guess as well. I just tested it. The frequency seems to stay the same. Tongue clean mode seems to move the brush left to right. Normal clean mode seems to move it up and down as well. Hard to tell it vibrates so fast on small distances.
jrockway 3y ago
Yup, exactly. They have things like whitening brushes that use a longer-than-2-minute cycle, and tongue cleaners that do a 30 second cycle. Switching the brush head switches the mode there. You can also switch manually with the buttons on the brush. Everyone in the Twitter thread seems really mad about the whole thing, but it's a fine use of NFC if you ask me. Remember, the brush is authenticating the handle with the password, not the other way around. This scheme is not useful for DRM, but is useful if you use more than one type of brush and if you want to be alerted when it's time to change your brush. I just change them on the 1st of the month, but if you want even more life than that, the feature is available. You aren't screwing over Sonicare by using a worn-out brush, you're just spending 2 minutes not cleaning your teeth.