Tosee: The Smart Cigarette Mouthpiece Redefining Smoking Control in the New Era

According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 1.3 billion smokers worldwide, with China accounting for 320 million. The tobacco market is vast, yet the health implications of smoking remain highly controversial. As World No Tobacco Day approaches, VCBeat recently interviewed Mr. Cui Xiaoming, founder of Guangzhou Angmi Technology Co., Ltd., a company specializing in smart filter cigarette holders.

What is tosee?
The Tosee Smart Mouthpiece, manufactured by Angmi Technology, is an innovative smart device that effectively analyzes users’ smoking behavior and collects smoking data. This data is transmitted via Bluetooth to the user’s mobile app, where it undergoes precise computational analysis on the server before being presented to the user, thereby helping to control cigarette consumption and support smoking cessation. The product features exquisite craftsmanship; its exterior is fabricated using CNC machining, anodized sandblasting, and ultrasonic hot-melt welding, achieving a level of sealing that provides everyday water resistance.

Below, VCBeat provides a brief overview of some features of the tosee smart cigarette holder:
• Cigarette Consumption Statistics: The sensor in the mouthpiece can record the daily number of cigarettes smoked
• Excessive Use Reminder: Users can set a daily smoking limit. Once this limit is exceeded, both the app and the smart mouthpiece will provide gentle reminders to the user.
• Harmful Substance Analysis: Records user smoking behavior data via sensors and chips within the mouthpiece, and uploads it to the app for data analysis.
• Filtration Efficiency: Eco-friendly physical filtration with intelligent monitoring of filter performance, prompting users to replace the filter tip in a timely manner

Why Did tosee Come Into Being?
Cui Xiaoming, founder of Angmi Technology, is a serial entrepreneur born in the 1980s. With six years of experience in the internet industry and a background as a product manager, he excels in team building and resource coordination, and possesses keen insight into the development trends of the internet sector.

When discussing the original motivation behind starting the business, Cui Xiaoming, a long-time smoker, drew from his personal experience to keenly realize that what smokers need is not a substitute for cigarettes, but a method to control their smoking. While there are products on the market designed to help people quit smoking, such as nicotine gum and e-cigarettes, these are merely substitutes for traditional cigarettes. They not only compromise the smoking experience but may also pose health risks. A recent report from Japan indicates that the carcinogenic risk of e-cigarettes is 200 times higher than that of conventional cigarettes. Therefore, he and his team set out to develop a smart cigarette holder that would gradually help smokers recognize the harms of smoking without compromising their smoking experience, ultimately aiding them in quitting.

Intelligent Interaction, Integration of Hardware and Software
Cui Xiaoming stated that smoking is a long-established habit that is difficult to quit abruptly. If smoking cessation is divided into three stages—A (initiation), B (process), and C (complete abstinence)—many smokers initially intend to jump directly from Stage A to Stage C. However, their entrenched smoking habits make it unbearable for them to go without cigarettes, often leading to relapse.

Overlooking Phase B (the smoking cessation process), an essential stage, naturally results in low success rates for quitting smoking. The tosee smart cigarette holder, developed by Cui Xiaoming and his team, focuses specifically on this phase. In addition to enhancing the filtration capabilities of traditional holders—such as through a dual-layer activated carbon filter—it features intelligent monitoring of filter saturation and alerts users when replacement is needed. The device records smoking behavior data, including the number of cigarettes consumed and the intake of harmful substances (nicotine, CO, and tar). This data is uploaded via Bluetooth to a smartphone app, which calculates and displays the harmful exposure metrics. By providing data-driven guidance and scientific recommendations, the system leverages psychological cues without altering the smoking experience, encouraging users to modify their smoking habits, gradually reduce consumption, and ultimately achieve tobacco control or complete cessation.

Looking Ahead: Exploring a Bigger Stage
During the interview, Cui Xiaoming consistently emphasized that “product development must be grounded in personal experience.” As an internet industry veteran with many years of smoking history, he understands that one should not interfere with users while they are smoking, but rather leverage the psychological cues triggered by post-smoking data to guide them toward changing their smoking behaviors.

When asked by VCBeat about the next major strategic steps for tosee and its team, Cui Xiaoming stated that the company remains focused on its flagship product, the tosee smart cigarette holder, continuously iterating and upgrading it to enhance product quality and provide users with more options. In the future, building upon strengthened filtration capabilities, the company plans to organize and analyze collected user smoking behavior data. These data will be integrated, where possible, into personal medical data platforms to offer scientifically grounded, data-driven support to users and their families. He also expressed hope that more talented professionals would join his team, striving to realize the vision of creating China’s premier smart cigarette holder product.

During the demonstration of how to use the tosee smart cigarette holder, Cui Xiaoming’s eyes were filled with pride in his product. VCBeat believes that with the future development of internet healthcare, there will be increasing innovation in the field of medical smart hardware. We look forward to seeing how Angmi Technology, which focuses on smokers and related industries, will perform in this evolving landscape.