Team Members Cara Dunn Farshad Fahimi Sujan Bhaheetharan Nipun Yamdagni UW/VA Hospitals – Geriatric psychiatrist/Sleep specialist Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering Timothy Juergens, M.D.William L. Murphy ClientAdvisor

Problem Statement  Construct a device with the ability to record time & date information during daily operation of a patient’s standard medication box.  Stationary alarm should be attached in order to alert the user to take medication.  Information should be easily accessed on a computer for the client and patient to discuss, in efforts to ensure proper adherence.

Client Requirements  Device must obtain data regarding patient’s adherence of their medications.  Lightweight and durable.  An alarm should alert patient  Total prototype cost may not exceed $300.  Normal use, includes cleaning the device, may not interfere with recording.  Must consume low amounts of power.

Motivation & Significance  Compliance: Taking correct amount of the prescribed medicine at the correct time.  Medicine is only helpful when taken correctly.  Only 24% of people take their medicines correctly.  Non-compliance causes 125,000 deaths per year in the USA.

Last Semester’s Design  Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontroller with development kit  Program in C language  Recognized open compartments  Used a 7x4 pill box  Switches activated by compartment  Lids  Activation recorded by the microcontroller  Switch matrix utilized

Design Limitations  Only had 2x2 switch matrix  Switches were not always activated  No time-keeping method  Lack of sleep function  Parallel port interface  No computer software for interface with pillbox  Cost  The MSP430 microcontroller is too expensive for our need

Overview of Current Design  Altered existing parts  Switches  7x4 Pill Box  Adding new functionality  Power saving functionality  Accurate time keeping  USB Interface  Smaller than previous design  Computer interface

Solution to Switch Problem  Altered individual lids  Plexiglas makes flat surface for switch actuation  Higher accuracy  More information from Sujan

New Microcontroller  MicroChip’s PIC 18F4550  Cheaper  More widely known  Allows the use of the B.A.S.I.C. programming language  Easier to interface with:  Clock  USB

Electronic Components  USB to Serial (TTL) converter  Allows communication between microcontroller and almost any computer  Watch chip  Allows the microcontroller to keep accurate time  Gives non-volatile storage memory DLP-USB232M DS1307

Alarm  Auditory, visual, and vibratory alarm possible  Further investigation required to determine which alarm techniques will be used.  Alarm times are variable

Computer Interface  Allows the setting alarm schedule  Allows download of patient data  Easy to use and navigate

Present Accomplishments  Established communication between microcontroller and PC  Installed Plexiglas to increase stable contact area between the compartment lid and switch  Began writing code in B.A.S.I.C.

Future Work  Convert code from C programming language to B.A.S.I.C.  Implementing time functionality  Integrate alarm clock  Test entire prototype  Have final circuit printed

References  VIASYS Healthcare, Inc.  University of Wisconsin – Madison Medical Electronics Lab   