Consumer Reports Archives Exhibitions

In the 1980s, Consumer Reports designed a manual toothbrush tester to evaluate the effectiveness of toothbrushes available for sale. That original device is now part of the Consumer Reports Archives at Duke University, but it is no longer operational and lacks documentation. Librarians who work with the testing artifacts wanted to include a functional toothbrush tester in this exhibit, and for instruction, so turned to Duke’s engineering program for assistance. 

As part of the Fall 2025 first-year engineering design course, one student team set out to create a modernized version inspired by the original Consumer Reports toothbrush tester. 

This device autonomously simulates the toothbrushing process. A linear actuator lowers a set of model teeth into a simulated plaque mixture composed of cocoa powder, cornstarch, and flour—similar to an elevator. The teeth then rotate within the mixture to ensure an even coating. Once coated, the teeth return to brushing level, where the toothbrush cleans three sides before the system resets within 30 seconds.

The student team included Bryan Chan, Ewa Adebayo-Oke, Gulnoza Abdurashidova, and Jonathan Ransom. The students would like to thank: Professor Sonia Bansal, PhD, Professor Roarke Horstmeyer, PhD, Dagan Trnka, Mentor, Matthew Lyons, TA, Joshua Larkin Rowley, Research Services Librarian, and Margaret Brown, Exhibition Services Head, Duke University Libraries.