Pushin P(ills)

An automated and controllable pill dispenser to ensure the elderly don't miss a dose of life-saving medication

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Inspiration

I constantly forget to make my supplements to help with my anemia, so I thought, "if I'm constantly forgetting, how many others must be missing doses of much more important medicines?" Additionally, I read stories about people with Parkinson's struggling to take their pills. They'd drop the medicine and have to consume it from the floor or lick their fingers to hopefully get a pill stuck to their hand. Thus, we sought to solve two problems with one device: Pushin P(ills).

What it does

This device hosts a web server where the user can enter what days and what time they need to take their medicine. At that time, they receive a text message and a light starts flashing to notify them to take their medicine. They then press a button and a pill is dispensed out for them to consume without the difficulties of having to grab it out of the bottle.

How we built it

We used a Raspberry Pi to host a flask web server that we used ngrok to access remotely. We also connected the Raspberry Pi to a circuit with a button, 2 servo motors, and an LED. When the user provides the days and time they want to be reminded at, we store the information and when the time arrives, a Twilio text message is sent. The button is then enabled and the user can press it to dispense a pill, which is done through 2 servo motors that isolate one pill before releasing it.

Challenges we ran into

Our MicroSD card initially wouldn't configure, so we were recommended to use an Arduino. We considered using Webhooks or a Bluetooth app to communicate with the Arduino, but we found that the Arduino did not support Webhooks and there was no Bluetooth module besides an on-board Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module. As we began learning how to write a BLE app, a very kind mentor offered to let us borrow his Raspberry Pi, allowing us to revert closer to our original goal. We also struggled with Twilio as we were randomly faced with a business verification process when we start trying to reply to messages, so we once again pivoted to allowing the user to access a web server. Other problems arose regarding hardware components and connecting remotely to the Raspberry Pi, but we were able to steadily overcome them.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are extremely proud of how many new technologies we learned in one day. Before this, neither of us had touched a Raspberry Pi, Twilio, and we had almost no experience with circuitry or web servers. We are very proud of being able to finish a project, especially with how many times we had to deviate from our original plan, as well as having the grit to stay awake all night working on this.

What we learned

We learned a lot about constructing robotics and circuitry as well as the intricacies of a Raspberry Pi and its power.

What's next for Pushin P(ills)

We would like to remake this with a 3d Printer and more secure components. This project was made with cardboard and recycled components as we simply did not have access to more expensive materials. I also would like to replace our servos and use more hygienic materials particularly in the pill chute.

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