I-Corps: Smart IoT Medicine Dispensing

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

Investigators

Abstract

This broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to advance the common pill bottle, delivering benefits related to security of the contents and adherence-based functionality. This project has the potential to impact users of medicines, their caregivers, and the medicinal supply chain. Currently issues of dosage, timelines, access, expiration, security, refilling, prescription management, and safety are addressed by a complex set of stakeholders, and for some medications there is potential for abuse. This project will explore translation to users with special needs with regards to medicine type usage, security and safety, yielding cost savings and improved adherence to prescriptions. The value proposition for special needs individuals is an enhanced level of independence and healthy lifestyle related to their prescriptions. More generally, this technology represents a modern effort to address many facets of distribution of prescription medication, such as monitoring prescription adherence, preventing prescription abuse, and preventing unauthorized access to prescriptions. This I-Corps project will advance an Internet of Things (IoT) solution for mobile secure dispensing systems with innovations in design, testing and deployment. Advances in IoT sensors, actuators, communication, processing and power supply provide an opportunity to manage the process with improved security, safety and efficiency. This project will explore translation of a novel integration of hardware, such as a new combination of sensors, biometric scanner(s), a WiFi- and bluetooth-enabled microcomputer, and a customized locking mechanism through proprietary software. The new architecture and associated software enable a unique IoT-based prescription container aimed at preventing unauthorized access and providing users with alerts, reminders and notifications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.