ScheduleMed Mid-Semester Review February 22, 2007

Team Members Advisor: Dr. Raymond Winton James Rapier -Pill Dispensing -Display Harpreet Singh -Display -Pill Dispensing Angga Riyadi -Scheduling-Ethernet Andrew Bracey -Ethernet-Scheduling

Overview Project Summary Project Summary –Problem Statement –Current Products –ScheduleMed Constraints Constraints Approaches Approaches Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

Problem Statement ScheduleMed provides the elderly population with a pill dispensing device that reminds the user to take his/her medicine. ScheduleMed provides the elderly population with a pill dispensing device that reminds the user to take his/her medicine.

Current Products MedTime XL MedTime XL –Automatic Pill Dispensing –Scheduling –Alarm to Alert User –No Remote Monitoring –Costs $350 Retail –No Monthly Fee [1] MD2 MD2 –Automatic Pill Dispensing –Scheduling –Notification –Costs $900 Retail –$30 Monthly Fee [1]

ScheduleMed ScheduleMed ScheduleMed –Remote scheduling and monitoring –Alarms for the user –Notification –Supports two users –Costs no more than $450 retail

Overview Project Summary Project Summary Constraints Constraints –Technical Constraints –Practical Constraints Approaches Approaches Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

Technical Constraints Dispensing Accuracy Dispensing Accuracy –Dispensing accuracy must be 100% Display Display –Must be readable from four feet Communication Communication –Must allow monitoring from remote location Alarm Alarm –Must be between dB Robustness Robustness –Must keep dispensing functionality in the event of a power failure for at least six hours

Practical Constraints Safety Safety –Provides a schedule window for the elderly user to take the medicine –Prohibits access to the medicine outside of the schedule window

Practical Constraints Health Health –Uses food grade materials approved by the FDA [13] –Prevents the elderly users from ingesting harmful substances which are not intended for human consumption

Overview Project Summary Project Summary Constraints Constraints Approaches Approaches –Pill Dispensing/Detecting –Display –Communications Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

Approach – Pill Dispensing Grab Grab –User is allowed to grab the medicine from a compartment during medication time –Not ideal since compartments will be small and the elderly generally have poor dexterity Flip and Pour Flip and Pour –During medication time, the user will flip the dispensing unit and the pills will trickle down –Possibility of the user dropping the pills

Approach – Pill Dispensing Fully Automated Fully Automated –Pill based compartments –At one medication time, many different compartments may dispense pills –More parts to dispense appropriate dosage Trap Door Trap Door –Medication time based compartments –Less parts because all pills in the time slot are dispensed at once –Does not have to worry about dispensing appropriate dosage

Approach – Pill Detection Load Sensors Load Sensors –Device that detects a load –Not sensitive enough for pills –Expensive Tilt Switch Tilt Switch –A switch that turns on when it is tilted –Only viable with the flip and pour method [2] [3]

Approach – Pill Detection Capacitance Sensors Capacitance Sensors –Detects changes in capacitances –All pills do not have a generic capacitance value None None –Lowest cost to implement –Works with the trap door method [4]

Approach – Display No Display Option No Display Option –Scheduled remotely, display not necessary –Cannot display time, information, etc. Organic LED (OLED) Organic LED (OLED) –LED composed of organic molecules [5] –Uses less power –Increased brightness Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) –Low cost –Longer lifespan [6] [7] [8]

Approach - Communication CELLULAR PHONE LINE Ethernet SPEEDHighLowLowHigh COSTModerateHighLowModerate RELIABILITYModerateModerateModerateHigh [9] [10] [11] [12]

Overview Project Summary Project Summary Constraints Constraints Approaches Approaches Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

Block Diagram

Overview Project Summary Project Summary Constraints Constraints Approaches Approaches Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

Timeline JanuaryFebruaryMarchApril Research Software Hardware Firmware Testing & Debugging

Current Progress Display

Current Progress Dispensing Mechanism

Current Progress Ethernet Module

Current Progress Remote Scheduling Software

Summary Project Summary Project Summary Constraints Constraints Approaches Approaches Block Diagram Block Diagram Timeline Timeline

References [1] e-pill Medication Reminders. e-pill® [2] [3] “Contactless Tilt Switch: Series DS,” NKK [4] [5] Freudenrich, C. “How OLEDs Work,” HowStuffWorks.com [6] Kallendar P. and Nystedt, D. “Future looking bright for OLED displays,” ComputerWorld [7] [8] “LCD2041-GW,” Matrix Orbital [9] [10] Spark Fun Electronics [11] [12] Spark Fun Electronics [13] “Equipment & Gear: Microwave Safe Containers,” Cooking For Engineers