ADVANCED DESIGN AND TOOLING EVALUATION OF A MICROPROCESSOR-CONTROLLED MEDICATION DISPENSER

THIS PROGRAM WILL DEVELOP A NOVEL MEDICATION DISPENSING AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING SYSTEM. THIS WORK BUILDS UPON AN EARLIER PROJECT THAT DEMONSTRATED THE CAPABILITY OF THIS UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY TO ACCURATELY SUPERVISE MEDICATION DISPENSING IN TYPICAL ENVIRONMENTS. THE GOAL OF THE RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A CLINICALLY EFFECTIVE AND ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE SOLUTION TO THE COSTLY PROBLEM OF PATIENT NONCOMPLIANCE WITH PRESCRIBED MEDICATION REGIMENS. TASKS INCLUDE IMPROVING THE PATIENT INTERFACE BY EASING MECHANICAL OPERATIONS, PROVIDING MORE INFORMATIVE PROMPTING,AND ALLOWING USER INPUT OF LIFESTYLE AND PREFERENCE INFORMATION. THE PHARMACIST AND DOCTOR ARE ACCOMMODATED WITH FASTER LOADING OPERATIONS AND MORE COMPLIANCE DATA. DEVICE RELIABILITY IS ENHANCED WITH IMPROVED MECHANICAL INTERLOCKS AND ADDITIONAL STATUS SENSORS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS RESULT FROM NEW MECHANICAL, ELECTRONIC, AND FIRMWARE DESIGNS. AN EXTENSIVE TEST PROGRAM WILL PROVE EFFECTIVENESS AND RELIABILITY OF THE NEW DESIGNS. ADDITIONALLY, PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURING TOOLS WILL BE DESIGNED, BUILT, AND TESTED TO DEMONSTRATE THE BASIS FOR AN ECONOMICAL PRODUCTION PROCESS. THIS 2-YEAR PROGRAM OF DESIGN AND TESTING WILL DEMONSTRATE IMPROVED SYSTEM FEATURES WHILE ALSO VALIDATING THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO CARRY A STATE-OF-THE-ART DISPENSING AND MONITORING TECHNOLOGY INTO ITS NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT.