Withings, Kérastase, and L'Oréal have teamed up to create the world's first Bluetooth-connected smart hairbrush that's able to interface with your smartphone.
The "Kérastase Hair Coach Powered by Withings" combines sensors created by Withings with signal analysis algorithms designed by L'Oréal to determine the quality of the hair and "monitor the effects" of your haircare routine.
There's a built-in microphone that listens to the sound of hair brushing to determine details about frizziness, dryness, split ends, and breakage, plus a feature that measures the force being applied to the hair and the scalp while you brush.
An accelerometer and a gyroscope analyze brushing patterns and count brush strokes, haptic feedback capabilities alert you if you're brushing too hard, and conductivity sensors can tell if you're brushing your hair wet or dry to provide accurate measurements.
The hairbrush connects to a mobile app that analyzes the data and ambient weather to provide a hair quality score, data on brushing habits, and customized product recommendations for different hair types.
"Withings has a track record for empowering everyday objects such as bathroom scales and watches with sensors that provide people with insight into their behaviors, and we're excited to now bring this expertise to the beauty industry," said Cedric Hutchings, Vice President of Digital Health for Nokia. "Each time someone uses the smart brush they get rich data they never before had access to, which can improve their overall hair care experience."
The hairbrush will be priced at under $200 and will be available at Kérastase hair salons, the Kérastase website, and the Withings website in the fall of 2017.
