The most significant risk to our project currently is the possible mechanical errors of the retractable door. This is the most mechanically complex portion of our project. We need a sliding door on each compartment that will let only one pill fall down at a time. The timing and force need to be accurate to be implemented properly. To make sure our design will be functional, we are going to make two prototypes of sliding doors before implementing it in our pillbox. The two designs we will look at are the lead screw + nut design and the timing belt design. We will see which one works most reliably and then look at which is easiest to implement. Based on the results, we will choose one design for all the sliding compartment doors in our pillbox. Our contingency plan in the case we are not able to get the sliding doors to allow only one pill to drop at a time is to have the user place all the pills for one day/time together in one compartment, so when the day/time comes, all the pills in a particular compartment can be dropped into the collecting tray.
One change we have made to the design of the system is that we are no longer basing on average pill sizes and are instead using pulsing to ensure that only a singular pill drops at a time. Originally we were going to base it on average pill sizes so a specific sliding door knew how much to retract based on the pill size contained in the compartment. We realized this adds too much complexity in the setup of the pills for the user. Additionally, we no longer believe this will aid in ensuring only one pill is dropped at a time since there will still be variation within each group of pill sizes. We believe pulsing is a more robust solution for all the varying pill sizes.
Originally the size of the pillbox was made to accommodate the largest average pill size we were looking at. Now, the size of the pillbox has been updated to accommodate a 90-pill supply of the largest pill size. The width of the pillbox was also limited in the amount of tabletop space that the pillbox takes up to be comparable to unautomated pillboxes on the market. The cost of this change is that the pillbox will now take up more vertical space. The more vertical our design, the higher the risk of tipping over; to mitigate this, we will have a weighted base and anti-slip base, which will be a high-friction rubber or silicone pad. Additionally, we will have keyhole slots on the back of the pillbox so it can mount to the wall (still “on a shelf” but optionally fixed.)
Another change is we will use Wi-Fi + MQTT via a broker instead of Bluetooth, as our design study showed it to be more reliable for its remote caregiver access and clean sync model. The cost of this change is that it creates an additional requirement for the user to have Wi-Fi, as well as requiring more infrastructure like brokers and authentication. However, we would assume that if a user were to want to be a user of our product, which requires electricity (we do not plan for a battery design), they would also have access to WiFi.
Below is our updated schedule. Primary tasks of each person have reminded fixed, but individual tasks have been adjusted according to design changes.
Part A: Global Factors, written by Carolyn
Our pillbox is for older adults who have trouble managing multiple prescriptions. A challenge faced worldwide as we face aging populations. By operating in both online and offline modes by storing schedules locally and providing alerts on the pillbox itself we are ensuring our product can still be used in locations with unreliable internet connection. Which is a common global concern. Additionally, we are designing the physical interface and guided workflow to be as simple and intuitive as possible for the user to make the devices accessible for those who are not technologically experienced. Furthermore, prescription pill access can vary based on locations. Certain users may have to travel far to access their nearest pharmacist. We do our best to accommodate this by supporting high-capacity storage. Which should limit pharmacy visits to once per month ideally. This allows the device to remain useful in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure.
Part B: Cultural Factors, by Jahnvi
Medication routines are often heavily shaped by cultural beliefs, specifically norms regarding elder care. In many cultures older adults rely heavily on family members for there medication needs. Which is why Magic Pillbox supports and allows for caregiver involvement, specifically through the app where issues and taken status are logged. Furthermore, many elders show distrust of advanced technology. Respecting this preference, we ensure that our pillbox is fully operational offline, except for setup steps, which should have to be carried out no more than once a month typically so they can be carried out by a caretaker if needed, instead of the primary elderly user. This allows the primary user to have minimal interaction with the app if desired. We use audible and visual reminders on the box itself for this.
Part C: Environmental Factors, written by Jieun
In consideration of environmental factors, our pillbox is extremely careful in trying to minimize the material used, as we do aim to build our main body with plastic, which has already been flagged as a potential environmental harm in terms of disposal should the product be defective, etc. By carefully discussing and simulating the design as much as possible before creating the main prototype, we can minimize the plastic material used in total. This applies even after initial prototyping; should our product or a similar design ever make it into the real market, minimizing the overall size also minimizes plastic and electronic waste. We will also be avoiding including designs that can create choking hazards should there ever be an improper disposing of items (which we will, of course, try our best to never let happen in the first place by including instructions and also being careful on our own end). The one cup holding that can be separated from the main device is designed and will continue to be looked at so that it’s large enough to not be a potential choking hazard but not too large as to incur greater waste.