Available Technologies

Technology

It is estimated that approximately 133 million people in the United States suffer from at least one chronic illness and that seven out of ten deaths are due to these illnesses. While chronic illnesses are often treated with medications, the adherence rate to medication regimens is at or below 50%. Unfortunately, a primary reason for patients not taking their medication is forgetfulness. Increasing patient adherence is an important step to improving patient outcome and quality of life.

Researchers at UAH have developed a technology aimed at monitoring patient medication use, notifying patients when to take their medication, and alerting them to any lapse in their regimen. The device consists of a medication container with one or more sensor systems installed. This "smart" medication bottle can monitor the amount of medication in the container using capacitance sensors, or it can detect the frequency of medication use by monitoring the opening and closing of the container. The container can alert the patient to any irregularities via visual or auditory warnings or through an external digital device, such as a computer or cell phone.

This smart bottle is ideal for helping patients with chronic illnesses adhere to their prescribed medication regimen, and it can serve as a monitoring system to aid doctors and pharmacies in treating their patients. It can also be used to improve the accuracy and reliability of clinical drug trials.