Product Description
SmartPopper is an external electronic pill popper device intended to remind users to take their medication as well as assist in extracting pills out of blister packaging. If the user does not take their medication within the assigned time window and does not respond to the reminder system, an emergency contact of choice will be alerted. This ensures that an intervention is made when it is absolutely necessary. Overall, the aim of our product is to improve medicine adherence and remove the need for continuous external monitoring so it can provide the user with a greater sense of independence while working as an assistive device.
Why entered the competition?
As engineering students, we have the desire to produce design solutions for problems that are present in society. Being in lockdown in the UK has also allowed us the time to explore our creative thinking which we wanted to utilize in an actual project.
The Connect the Community design challenge appealed to us because, not only did the design problem apply to a situation that we could relate to, it gave us the chance to learn about Internet of Things technologies. Both of us have an interest in the principles behind embedded systems so it was great to discover how it can be integrated with network and information technology so we could utilize it into our design solution. In addition, the potential that our design could be developed and created sounded very exciting, so we knew that this was an opportunity that we did not want to miss out on.
Can you briefly outline how your design helps people isolated by Covid-19?
While isolating during Covid-19, your normal routine is changed which can negatively affect you remembering to take your medication. This can even prove to be fatal. Therefore, we came up with a device, SmartPopper, that will provide several subsequent reminder alerts, delivered via a customized buzzing tone if the user does not take their medication within the assigned time window (specified by the user).
Can you explain what motivated you to come up with such a solution and take the time and effort to enter this challenge?
As engineering students, we have the desire to produce design solutions for healthcare problems that are present in society. Being in lockdown in the UK has also allowed us the time to explore our creative thinking which we wanted to utilize in a real-life problem.
Having had our regular routine disrupted during lockdown keeping track of medication quickly proved to be difficult. We realized this might be an even bigger issue for those regularly relying on other people to give them important medication. We were further motivated to find a solution to this problem as the application would still be relevant after lockdown had ceased.
Furthermore, the design challenge appealed to us because, not only did the design problem apply to a situation that we could relate to, it gave us the chance to learn about Internet of Things technologies. Both of us have an interest in the principles behind embedded systems so it was great to discover how it can be integrated with network and information technology so we could utilize it into our design solution. In addition, the potential that our design could be developed and created sounded very exciting, so we knew that this was an opportunity that we did not want to miss out on.
Can you briefly explain how your solution works both in terms of features and functionality (does it use an app, is it battery powered, what are the key functional blocks)?
The SmartPopper connects to an app on a smartphone via Bluetooth. The app allows the user to specify times their medication should be taken by as well as how many pills should be taken by the given time. A next of kin can be added at this stage who will be contacted if the medication has not been taken, after alerting the user. Once this is set up the smartphone is not needed anymore, unless there are changes to the medication. The device will be powered by a portable battery integrated inside the SmartPopper. To alert the emergency contact (added during set up) cellular IOT will send a message directly to the contacts phone.
How are the above features enabled technically including any Nordic chips and wireless technologies used, battery life (if applicable), sensors employed etc.
SmartPopper has an arduino nano BLE that communicates with the app via Bluetooth. The arduino has a piezo disc as an input to detect when a pill has landed on the disc and is used to determine if a user has taken their medication. A piezo buzzer is connected as an output to the arduino, which will buzz if the medication has not been taken. Cellular IoT from Nordic Semiconductors is implemented to contact the users next of kin. To cover the running cost from using cellular we intend to pay off 3 years of use and have it as part of the initial cost of the device. Additional data would be available for purchase later. Finally, a RTC module is integrated to keep track of time. We will also add a switch that can turn off the detection, so SmartPopper can be used as a mechanical device if additional medications, such as a paracetamol, is to be taken as a one off. At this stage we have not determined the battery life of the device, but we are exploring both rechargeable and single use batteries.
Is this design a brand new concept or an evolution of something you’ve worked on/developed/were developing before?
This concept is not something that we were working on or developing before. It is a brand-new concept we developed upon, tailored to this design challenge.
Can you give us a brief summary of your background / career and where you would like to take your career in the future if you are a student ?
We are in our final year of our integrated master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Glasgow, currently working on our masters project. In the future we would like to go into the field of assistive/ medical robotics and medical device development.
Is there anything else you think important worth mentioning about your design and why you developed it not covered by the questions above?
Our device has a dual use as an assistive device. The device’s manual input involves pushing down the top of the pill puncher/popper, which not only detects the pill that is extracted but also aids those who struggle to push the pills through blister packaging. This is helpful as modern-day blister packs have strong packaging that may be difficult to break by the user, such as older adults who often have swollen or sore hands caused by arthritis.
We developed the medicine adherence checker for blister packaging as these are used far more than pill bottles in a lot of countries, including the United Kingdom. In addition, we found that there is a lack of smart technologies available for blister packages that are feasible for older adults taking pills prescribed to them.