FYP PROGRESS REP
SMART IOT BASED AUTOMATIC DOSE DISPENSER
Introduction
Medication management and continuous health monitoring remain significant challenges for
elderly and chronically ill patients, particularly those suffering from non-communicable diseases
(NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. Common issues include
mistracking and forgetting of scheduled dosages, poor adherence to prescribed
treatment plans, and irregular or inconsistent monitoring of vital health parameters.
These challenges often result in missed doses, incorrect medication intake, and delayed
detection of health deterioration.
The situation is further aggravated by physical limitations such as poor eyesight, arthritis, and
reduced mobility, as well as cognitive decline and low health literacy among elderly patients.
In many cases, weak communication between patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers
leads to incomplete supervision, delayed interventions, and increased reliance on manual
record-keeping, which is prone to human error. Additionally, the unavailability of full-time
caregivers and the lack of structured medication assistance systems place an increased burden
on families, especially in joint family systems where members may not always be present.
In response to these challenges, this project aims to design and develop an intelligent
medicine dispensing and vital monitoring platform that systematically addresses medication
adherence, dosage scheduling, and continuous health data collection. The proposed system
integrates automated pill dispensing, vital parameter monitoring, reminder and alert
mechanisms, and digital data logging to reduce human error and enhance treatment
compliance.
Future vision:-
The platform is envisioned as a key subsystem of a future care-companion robot, enabling
more personalized, reliable, and scalable support for long-term NCD management. By
combining automation, IoT-based connectivity, and user-centric design, the proposed solution
seeks to improve patient independence, caregiver awareness, and overall healthcare outcomes.
Project Summary
This project presents the design and development of a Smart IoT-Based Dose Dispenser with
Vital Monitoring, aimed at improving medication adherence and reducing the cognitive and
physical burden associated with polymedication, particularly among elderly and chronically ill
patients. Mistracking of scheduled dosages, poor adherence to prescriptions, and lack of regular
vital monitoring are common challenges that significantly affect treatment outcomes. These
issues are further aggravated by physical limitations, low literacy, and weak communication
between patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers.
A review of existing automatic pill dispensers revealed that while many commercial solutions
offer basic time-based dispensing and reminder functionalities, they remain limited in several
aspects. Most systems are expensive, imported, and not tailored to local contexts. Many require
manual pill handling, lack support for blister-pack medicines, offer minimal caregiver feedback,
and do not integrate vital monitoring. Furthermore, most solutions function as standalone
devices and do not support extensibility into broader healthcare systems. These limitations
highlight a gap for an affordable, intelligent, and modular medication management platform that
combines dispensing, monitoring, and communication.
To address these challenges, the project adopts a problem-driven design approach, beginning
with surveys and consultations with medical professionals to identify real-world medication
management issues. Based on this analysis, multiple dispensing mechanisms were ideated and
evaluated. Initial concepts were discarded due to limitations such as incompatibility with varying
pill sizes, risk of pill damage, inability to handle blister packs, and increased mechanical
complexity. These evaluations guided the convergence toward a more reliable and scalable
solution.
The finalized mechanical design consists of three core subsystems. First, an automatic
roller-based de-blistering mechanism eliminates manual pill handling by punching pills out of
blister foils using controlled pressure, thereby improving hygiene and reducing user effort.
Second, a pneumatic suction-based dispensing system enables precise single-pill pickup using
vertical (Z-axis) motion only. The chamber geometry ensures gravity-guided pill positioning,
minimizing the risk of double dosing and allowing compatibility with pills of varying shapes and
sizes. Third, a rotary carousel mechanism with multiple pill chambers and one intentionally left
empty dispensing slot enables sequential dispensing of medications into a collection cup,
supporting polymedication schedules in a compact form factor.
The complete mechanism has been modeled using SolidWorks, with dimensions and
clearances optimized for manufacturability and future prototyping via 3D printing. The current
system demonstrates a structured dispensing workflow, including dose alerts, controlled
chamber indexing, pill pickup, and release into the collection area.
In addition to mechanical design, the project emphasizes the use of modern engineering tools
for development and analysis, including CAD software, literature review platforms, and
AI-assisted research tools. While full implementation is planned for future phases, the proposed
system is designed to support IoT integration, a mobile application for scheduling and alerts
(including vacation mode), sensor-based automation, and vital monitoring for tracking key health
parameters. In the long term, this platform is envisioned as a modular subsystem within a
care-companion robot for enhanced non-communicable disease (NCD) management.
Overall, the project demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of real-world healthcare
challenges, systematic design iteration, and a clear roadmap for future development, positioning
it as a practical and extensible solution for intelligent medication management.