This week I worked on feedback based on our design presentation. We were asked to think of better ways to connect the pillbox and phone as well as look into more edge cases. The biggest change that we made to our design was switching from Bluetooth to home wifi using a REST API on the ESP32. I thought this change would be more straightforward and reliable for communication. Along with this, I also clarified online vs offline mode behavior. In online mode the app and pillbox stay synchronized with schedules and logging. In offline mode, the device continues to operate using a cached schedule and on device LEDs and buzzers. This allows dosing to be supported even when there is loss in connectivity.
Additionally, for multi-med doses, the device dispenses them into a single tray. If an error occurs, the entire dose is retried to avoid confusion. This was another edge case consideration.
We are a little behind schedule as we needed to already have the parts to build the box as well as have the app in the works. I think post spring break, we will use the week to catch up with our timeline and be on track in the coming weeks.