AUTOMATED HOME TABLET AND CAPSULE DISPENSER

OF 28 MILLION AMERICANS OVER AGE 65, 8.5 MILLION LIVE ALONE. MORE THAN 50 PERCENT SUFFER FROM SUCH CHRONIC AILMENTS AS ARTHRITIS, HYPERTENSION, AND HEART DISEASE, ALL OFTEN REQUIRING DAILY MEDICATION. U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH RECORDS ESTIMATE THAT 125,000 DEATHS OCCUR EACH YEAR FROM THE MISUSE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DRUGS ALONE, AND THAT ONE IN EVERY TWO PATIENTS TAKING MEDICINE REGULARLY MAKES ERRORS SUFFICIENT TO ALTER THE DRUG'S EFFECT. THE INABILITY OF GERIATRIC PATIENTS TO COMPLY WITH MEDICATION REGIMENS DIMINISHES INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND PRESENTS A PROBLEM REQUIRING SPECIAL CONSIDERATION. ALONG WITH MEMORY IMPAIRMENT, A THIRD OF SUCH PATIENTS SUFFER FROM SOME LOSS OF VISION. THE PROPOSEDTECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IS DEVELOPMENT OF A $75 TABLET- AND CAPSULE-DISPENSING DEVICE TO ESTABLISH THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY OF SINGLE OR MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS (NONLIQUID) BY AUTOMATING THE PROCESS OF TIME- AND DOSAGE-DEPENDENT DISPENSING. THE DEVICE WILL (1) HANDLE UP TO SIX DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY, (2) ELIMINATE PILL COUNTING, (3) REQUIRE NO ADJUSTMENTS OR VISUAL ACUITY ON THE PATIENTS' PART, AND (4) REQUIRE NO MORE DEXTERITY THAN IS NECESSARY TO PICK UP A PILL. IT ALSO PROVIDES COMPLETE LOGGING, IS SECURE AGAINST THEFT, AND IS FULLY PORTABLE.