MPillBox: An open framework for a smarter pillbox

Abstract

As the medical and technological fields have improved, there is a growing reliance on technology in the medical field. A considerable issue plaguing patients around the world is the management of medication intake for medications that treat chronic or otherwise serious illnesses. As such, many hospitalizations or even deaths are caused by medication errors. Existing solutions that provide smart pillboxes make many assumptions regarding patients, such as patient due diligence regarding expiration dates, storage atmospheric conditions, medication interactions, and awareness of alerts. mPillBox is introduced and presented as an open framework for making a pillbox smarter. The purpose of mPillBox is to improve user medication adherence and ensure medications remain effective. mPillBox aims to revolutionize existing smart pillboxes by introducing several key features: By attaching itself, via a Raspberry Pi, to any pillbox, mPillBox allows a user to manage a schedule for their medications. Unlike other digital pillboxes, mPillBox allows users to check expiration dates and atmospheric conditions to ensure the efficacy of their medications. mPillBox provides an automated medication interactions checker that informs the user of any interactions for current or future medications. Furthermore, mPillBox relies on Internet of Things devices in the vicinity, such as Chromecast, to automatically alert users. This is managed by a newly proposed mPillBox algorithm. These key features provide the necessary means for ensuring proper medication intake and medication efficacy that are not available in existing smart pillboxes. mPillBox is a low-cost system, with no required subscription fees, that does not require any medical or technical professional to set up, allowing it to be deployed anywhere. An mPillBox prototype was implemented along with an iOS mobile application to allow any user or patient to turn their simple pillbox into a smarter pillbox for managing their medication intake. The results show that mPillBox is a low-cost and user-friendly system that is smarter and more effective than existing smart pillboxes.