Intel awarded reality show contestants $1 million for creating a smart toothbrush

Apparently kids hate all remotely healthy activities unless games are involved. Yesterday it was a smart water bottle to encourage kids to drink more water. Today, it's a connected toothbrush to encourage them to brush their teeth more thoroughly. Intel just awarded Grush: The Gaming Toothbrush $1 million for its toothbrush, which "transforms the brushing chore into a fun and interactive game." Basically kids follow commands on a smartphone screen while wielding their toothbrush. It results in clean teeth! Sonicare released a similar product last year, except it required an iPad to work.

Here's one game kids can see when they're brushing:

Grush was introduced on "tech reality TV challenge" America's Greatest Makers. In it, 24 teams compete to bring their tech ideas to life. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich is one of the judges.

It might seem easy to hate on a connected toothbrush, as I did here, but I actually understand the appeal of Grush's product. Kids understandably hate brushing their teeth. It requires standing still for two minutes with nothing to concentrate on but their boring mouth. Grush's commercial says kids are "having fun" when they brush. I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, but if a $59 toothbrush can get kids to clean their teeth, I'm all for it.

• SourceIntel Grush