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Dosage Tracker Icon
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in addition to voice, text is available on phones, tablets, shows and spots
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Not just pills, some meds are shots and tests, this is an INR tester for testing blood clotting levels
Inspiration
From time to time we all need to take meds. We all get busy, and we all get that uneasy feeling, hmm, did I take my meds today or not?
What it does
Dosage Tracker is meant to be used whenever you take your pills or medications. Simply say, "Alexa, Tell Dosage Tracker Taken", and she'll log the fact and time for you. Later if you are unsure, say, "Alexa Tell Dosage Tracker to List" and you'll hear a list of the times you've taken your meds for the day. This skill is particularly useful now that Alexa can be used from phones and tablets, as you can track your meds anywhere, and see the text that goes along with Alexa's words.
How I built it
The Amazon Skills Kit has lots of great samples and tutorials. These made for quick learning and a starting base for what I essentially wanted to do.
Challenges I ran into
This is the first skill I've worked on that involved persistence of data with a DynamoDB. Having a voice-centric skill presented challenges as well. Originally I wanted to use the new Echo Button gadgets as the interface for logging meds taken, I have the buttons and got them working easily...but realized that the skill needed to be invoked by a voice command first anyway, so the button idea was scrapped. Another minor challenge, I changed a voice command keyword from "Record" to "Taken" since Alexa liked to default to Record as in album instead of Record as in Recording Artist. I learned how to use Phonemes to force Alexa to pronounce the word the way I wanted it, but in the end it seemed easier to change the wake command. Timezone was another issue, I resorted to asking the user on initial startup which timezone they want to use since Privacy issues prevent me from knowing the user's timezone.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
It's always fun to try something new and finish it prior to the deadline :-) I'm happy this skill seems useful but yet uncomplicated enough that my parents will be able to take advantage of it.
What I learned
Beside new skills in DynamoDB, I learned more about Alexa skill intent's, I learned how to use the new skill simulator. I learned how to build response cards so the Alexa skill shows output on Alexa Dots, Show, Fire tablets and phones.
What's next for Dosage Tracker Alexa Skill
We'll see, I've only supported USA timezones, I'd like to update that so this skill can be useful outside of the US. It would be nice to allow people to edit their medication times with custom names and time periods. I'd like to integrate with a tool that can remind the user when medication time is happening. Perhaps even change to a more broad-sweeping memory enhancing skill.
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