In 2015 I was asked to design an enclosure for a small device that fits in a standard medicine bottle cap. I worked closely together with the engineering team and we found a great solution for enabling the device by opening the cap. It was an entertaining task to fit everything into this small object.
Research
Study after study shows there are serious consequences if the medication is not taken as prescribed. There is a strong connection between not adhering to treatment and illness relapse rates. This connection is reflected in numbers as well.
30 to 50 % of treatment failures and 125.000 deaths are caused annually due to nonadherence. Nonadherence costs for U.S. healthcare providers anywhere between $100 and $289 billion each year. /Annals of Internal Medicines/
The main problems a patient struggles with are
- Simply forgetting to take the medication when they should
- Stops taking the medication if there is no immediate result
- The inconvenience of a long wait at the pharmacy to collect medicines or receive information about dosage
- Finding unreliable medical advice on the internet
MedCAP
MedCAP is a smartphone controlled medication adherence tracker which makes the healthcare consumers able to selfmanage their treatment. It plans to target those patients who would like to take their medication more reliably.
MedCAP provides a smart solution for monitoring the patient’s medical treatment. According to the medication routine the MedCAP device reminds the patient by sending alarm signals.
The device is based on Bluetooth Smart Technology which is used to communicate with any smartphone.
Design versions
The main requirements are that the enclosure should fit an American standard medication bottle and it should contain the PCB with LEDs, the battery and an ON/OFF switch. The switch should turn on by the unlocking movement and turn off by closing the cap.
The chosen design
Structure
Prototypes
How to use it
App Design: Péter Viszt
Chief electrical engineer: Csaba Kovács
