IoT-based Smart Pill Reminding System

Abstract

Background: The concept of pill reminders has been discussed and developed throughout the decade. It varies from cascaded plastic pill boxes to complicated robust dispensers. This proposed smart pill reminding system based on IoT is being designed by considering ease-to-use and cost-effectiveness. Method: A smart pill reminding system is a system that will alert the patient to take their respective pill at the desired time. It will also track the motion of the patient’s hand while taking the pill and will also display the pill count on an LCD Screen. In case a patient forgets/ignores the reminder provided by the system, the system will automatically display the status on the application that will be installed in the relative/caretaker’s phone and through an email on the patient's relative/caretaker’s email address to take subsequent action. The system will monitor the real-time using an RTC module, and as and when the current time matches the medicines time, it will activate its mechanism, and the patient will have a buffer time to take their medicine. In case a patient does take the medicine in the buffer time provided by the system, then one mechanism of the system will be activated. In another case, if a patient does not take the medicine in the stipulated time, further actions will be initiated by the system to benefit the patient. Results: It was tested and found that out of ten times, the system worked accurately nine times, with calculated accuracy as high as 90%. Initially, the Blynk application will display “Welcome Patient” and “You will be updated”. Once the RTC matches the scheduled time to take medicine, the buzzer starts buzzing. If the IR sensor detects the movement of the user’s hand, the LCD will update the pill count, and the pill count is reduced by one. The LCD will also display the message “Medicine Taken”. If the IR sensor does not detect the movement of the user’s hand, the LCD will display the same pill count. The LCD will also display the message “Med1 not Taken”. The Blynk will also be updated and will display the same messages. The green LED shows the status of the consumption of the pill. The email will sent to the caretaker in this case. Conclusion: In this work, all the problems related to the system are overcome in a systematic manner with the help of IoT and basic electronic applications. Thus, the system will help the user take all the prescribed medicines on time and will also update the user’s caretaker via application and email services. This will largely help the working class as well as the senior citizens. Thus, this proposed system can be commercialised as a handy and cost-effective device.