A Smart Pill Container for Improved Medication

Medication non-adherence is a significant problem in healthcare, leading to the gradual worsening of patient health, increased hospitalizations, and higher costs. Current patient-driven solutions rely heavily on the reliability of patient compliance and self-reporting, which are often inaccurate, leaving real-time monitoring and intervention gaps. The proposed system of a smart pill box, integrated with a Raspberry Pi 4, weight sensors, and a camera, addresses these weaknesses. The weight sensors will detect medication intake and verify dosages by sensing changes in weight, while the camera will capture images of the pills. Using a self-made dataset with over 400 images of each of 10 different tablets, the system will employ deep learning to identify the pills and verify dosages, alerting patients and caregivers to anomalies such as skipped doses. This automated adherence monitoring system reduces reliance on self-reporting and increases tracking accuracy. The expected outcomes of this research include improved medication adherence, reduced medication errors, and enhanced monitoring mechanisms, ultimately leading to better healthcare provision and outcomes for patients. Innovating health technology in this manner promises significant improvements in patient care.