Pod
All-in-one Brush
SUSTAINABILITY
USER RESEARCH
RAPID PROTOTYPING
Project Duration: 12 Weeks
MATERIALS RESEARCH
The Mission:
Create a sustainable, accessible oral care device that reduces environmental impact while supporting independent, effective use across diverse abilities, without compromising performance or trust.
Annual Wastage in the US:
~1 Billion toothbrushes discarded annually
What's happening?
of global tap water is contaminated by
microplastics (WHO)
People lack safely managed drinking water (Global Water Bankrupsy)
People experience severe water scarcity at least one month per year (Global Water Bankrupsy)
2˚ Research
83%
2.2
Million
~4 Billion
The problem with electric toothbrushes
Landfill pileups. These plastics take up to 1,000 years to decompose. That's never gonna happen.
Replaced every 2-3 months
Not (easily) recyclable, takeback programs don't work.
Mixed Materials
It gets worse…
Plastics abundantly found in marine sediment samples
Nylon, PP, ABS
Not everyone has access to great oral care, for reasons out of their control.
In the USA
1 in 4 adults suffer from some form of arthitis (CDC)
Why should they struggle to access basic oral care?
Brushing teeth
Flossing
Tongue Cleaning
Let's get into Design!
Inspiration
Process Overview
Sustainable Minds Benchmarking
Understanding the real problems
Meet
Pod Brush!
Inclusive
by design
There's one for
everyone!
You deserve it.
Welcoming you
to a new way
to experience
oral care.
Designed for repair, minimally invasive to the environment.
Tongue/cheek cleaner in-one
Critically considered, inside out
Materials:
1. Liquid Silicone Rubber Bristles
2. Recycled PP body
5. Integrated motor, PCB casing
Here's proof!
Key Changes:
1. Nylon Bristles → silicon, smaller
2. Larger ergonomic body, recycled ABS
3. No charging base (usb-c)
4. more compact packaging
5. Integrated motor, PCB casing
Easily Accessible Battery Repair
The tools came right out of the box
What's next?
