ABSTRACT

RedTacton is a Human Area Networking technology, which is under

development that uses the surface of the human body as a safe, high speed network
transmission path. It is completely distinct from wireless and infrared technologies as
it uses the minute electric field emitted on the surface of the human body.

RedTacton enables the first practical Human Area Network between

body-centered electronic devices and PCs or other network devices embedded in the
environment via a new generation of user interface based on totally natural human
actions such as touching, holding, sitting, walking, or stepping on a particular spot.
RedTacton can be used for intuitive operation of computer-based systems in daily
life, temporary one-to-one private networks based on personal handshaking, device
personalization, security, and a host of other applications based on new behavior
patterns enabled by RedTacton

In the current generation it is quite common to see people both young and old who
are on medication due to some illness, for cosmetic purpose or who are required to
take supplements due to some defects. But it’s quite common for one to forget to
take medication due to their hectic schedule and this is especially true in the case of
the elderly who tend to forget things due to old age. So for this a smart medicine box
can be used. The Redtacton based medicine box proposed will have a knob through
which either the patient or the guardian can set the time and then at the
corresponding time an alarm would sound by means of a buzzer, the drawers will
also open with the by motor control. This box is small, compact, and cheap and is
suited for outdoor purposes as in the case of an app wifi would be needed to update
the time whereas here it is not the case.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS:

CHAPTER NO TITLE PAGE NO

ABSTARCT i

LIST OF FIGURES iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Trends in Medicine Box 2

1.2 Proposed solution 2

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 3

3. AIM AND SCOPE OF THE EXPERIMENT 8

3.1 Aim 8

3.2 Scope 8

4 MATERIALS AND METHODS 9

4.1 Hardware Components 9

4.2 Software Components 12

4.3 Methodology 12

4.3.1 Proposed methodology 12

4.3.2 Block diagram Explanation 13

5 RESULT 14

6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 19

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 20

REFERENCES 20

ii
 FIGURES

FIGURE DESCRIPTION PAGE NO

4.1.1 DS3231 RTC module 9

4.1.2 12C LCD interface display 10

4.1.3 Rotatory Encoder 10

4.1.4 Breadboard power supply 11

4.1.5 SIM800L GSM Module 11

4.1.6 Micro Servo motor 12

4.3.1.1 Proposed System 13

5.1 Prototype setup 14

5.2 The welcome screen when Arduino is powered on 14

5.3 The menu system displaying alarm on the LCD 15

5.4 Med 3 has been selected for setting the time 15

5.5 Setting the time for the hours 15

5.6 Setting the time for the minutes 16

5.7 Time selected by user displayed on the screen 16

5.8 Default screen is displayed after time selection 16

5.9 Buzzer and LED turned on at the selected time 17

5.10 Message displayed at the time set 17

5.11 Box opens sideway when button is pressed 17

5.12 Displays the message that will be sent (on success) 18

5.13 Displays the message that will be sent (on failure) 19

iii
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

S.NO ABBREVIATION FULL FORM

1 CPU Central processing unit

2 DC Direct Current

3 EEPROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory

4 GSM Global System for Mobile communication

5 IDE Integrated Development Environment

6 IOT Internet of Things

7 IR Infrared Red

8 LCD Liquid Crystal Display

9 LDR Light Dependent Resistor

10 LED Light emitting diode

11 MCU Microcontroller

12 MQTT Message Queuing Telemetry Transport

13 PIR Passive Infrared

14 RAM Random Access Memory

15 RFID Radio Frequency Identification

16 RTC Real Time Clock

17 SMS Short Message Service

18 UART Universal Asynchronous Reception and Transmission

iv
1. INTRODUCTION:

Nowadays as technology advances in the healthcare filed, more number of

diseases are being diagnosed and treated. The treatment ranges from surgery,
medication and these medication are prescribed even after surgery to maintain
body’s immune response etc. People take a medication for a wide variety of
reason, it may be due to some vitamin deficiency, chronic illness, old age, genetic
disorder etc. The old as well as the young are getting affected by diseases. After
consulting health professional they obtain the medication to relieve their symptoms
that might be causing them nausea, pain, headache and many more. Depending
on the degree of the infection the patient would be advised to take the medication
many times a day and for a prolonged period of time. But either due to the day to
day life or due to some other factor the patient sometimes fail to take their
medication which in turn worsens their situation and affects their quality of
living .For instance in the case of young child they wouldn’t remember to take their
medication as they tend to get distracted easily as such it’s up to the child’s
parents to give the medication and in some cases even they do tend to forget due
to their work, stress etc. The smart med box can thus be used by the parents to
set the time and alarm so as to remind their child to take their medication on time
even when they aren’t around. The same can be said even for the adults,
teenagers who have to study, work to earn a living, this device can help them as it
serves as a reminder to take their medication. It is possible for them to set an
alarm using their phone to take their medication but there is still a chance to ignore
that reminder as they just simply have to slide it off it does serve its purpose to
remind the person but there is no guarantee they would do it at that time maybe
they would take it at a later time as they are busy at the moment and as a result
they tend to forget to take. As this medicine box is portable they can carry it
around with them and as the alarm buzzes they have to switch it off with the button
placed on the device and since the medication is also present they would just take
it then and there as there work would be done and in the case they don’t a
message will be sent to the guardian in such cases. This box is especially useful
for the elderly who tend to forget things as they age. The problem is either due to
their old age or due to diseases like Alzheimer which mostly tends to appear in

1
people aged 50 above. Not only Alzheimers the elderly might be suffering
from other

2
dieases an example would be Parkinson disease. Failure to take even a single
dosage might cause unbearable pain and discomfort to the elderly. And most of
the time the elderly might be living on their own, with their children, or with a
caretakers. This medicine box can relive the burden of the elderly, their family and
caretakers as it serves to be reminder for the patient to take their medication

1.1 TRENDS IN MEDICINE BOX:

A medicine box is generally designed to aid patients taking a surplus amount of

medication for a prolonged period of time and aids them in taking the medication at
the specified time without fail and certain devices have a function of lighting the
compartment that the patient has to take the medication from at the time specified,
this function prevents them in choosing the wrong compartment. In addition now
IOT (Internet of Things) has been incorporated to the medicine box to make it an
even more of an assist to the patients/caretakers. With the use of IOT medicine
box now have the function of monitoring whether the medication has been taken or
not by the patient and in response to that a message is sent to app that has been
installed on the phones. They can set the time by means of the app and receive
alerts regarding pills consumption. Now there are researches going on about using
weight sensor technology [Roy Abi Zeid Daou et al ] and by means of this the
medicine box sends a message to the caretakers phone to inform them when the
pills are about to run out. Now even papers are there where they have
incorporated a lock system for security purpose as this prevents the children from
playing around with these medications [Harshitha V et al ].

1.2 PROPOSED RECTACTON METHOD:

At the end of 2002 the Japanese telecommunications group NTT had announced
that it would develop a new data transmission technology that uses the conductive
properties of the human body to exchange information between electronic devices.
With RedTacton the company has now scarcely two and a half years later
presented its first prototype of a Human Area Network (HAN).

Japanese company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) claims to

have developed the first viable Human Area Network (HAN) device, enabling fast
data transfer between devices using the human body as a conduit. NTT reckons
3
this latest advance on the wireless Personal Area Network concept - dubbed
RedTacton- can transmit data over the surface of the skin at up to 2Mbps. Where
it differs, though, from previous offerings, is that a RedTacton-enabled device does
not have to be in direct contact with the skin - only within about 20cm.

WHAT IS RED TACTON?

Human society is entering an era of ubiquitous computing, when networks are

seamlessly interconnected and information is always accessible at our fingertips.
Red- Warmth, T-Touch, Acton-Action stands for Red Tacton. Instead of relying on
electromagnetic waves or light waves to carry data, Red Tacton uses weak electric
fields on the surface of the body as a transmission medium. Nippon Telegraph and
Telephone Corporation (NTT) is pursuing research and development of an
innovative Human Area Networking technology called Red Tacton that safely turns
the surface of the human body into a data transmission path at speeds up to 10
Mbps between any two points on the body.

Using a novel electro-optic sensor, NTT has already developed a small PCMCIA
card-sized prototype Red Tacton transceiver. Red Tacton enables the first
practical Human Area Network between body-centered electronic devices and
PCs or other network devices embedded in the environment via a new generation
of user interface based on totally natural human actions such as touching, holding,
sitting, walking, or stepping on a particular spot.

Red Tacton can be used for intuitive operation of computer-based systems in daily
life, temporary one-to-one private networks based on personal handshaking,
device personalization, security, and a host of other applications based on new
behavior patterns enabled by Red Tacton. NTT is committed to moving Red
Tacton out of the laboratory and into commercial production as quickly as possible
by organizing joint field trials with partners outside the company.

4
HOW IT WORKS?

Above Figure shows a person opening a door with the help of an RED
TACTON device.

Above Figure shows how REDTACTON works

5
 CONCEPTS ON REDTACTON

Red Tacton is a break-through technology that, for the first time, enables reliable
high-speed HAN. In the past, Bluetooth, infrared communications (IrDA), radio
frequency ID systems (RFID), and other technologies have been proposed to
solve the "last meter" connectivity problem.

However, they each have various fundamental technical limitations that constrain
their usage, such as the precipitous fall-off in transmission speed in multi-user
environments producing network congestion

1. Red Tacton uses the minute electric field emitted on the surface of the human
body. Technically, it is completely distinct from wireless and infrared.

2. A transmission path is formed at the moment when a part of the human body
comes in contact with a Red Tacton transceiver. Physically separating ends the
contact and thus ends the communication.

3. Using Red Tacton, communication starts when terminals carried by the user or
embedded in devices are linked in various combinations according to the user's
natural, physical movements.

4. Communication is possible using any body surfaces, such as the hands, fingers,
arms, feet, face and legs. Red Tacton works through shoes and clothing as well.

6
BASIC PRINCIPLE

The basic principles of RED TACTON are

1. The Red Tacton transmitter induces a weak electric field on the surface of the
body.

2. The Red Tacton receiver senses changes in the weak electric field on the
surface of the body caused by the transmitter.

3. Red Tacton relies upon the principle that the optical properties of an electro-
optic crystal can vary according to the changes of a weak electric field.

4. Red Tacton detects changes in the optical properties of an electro-optic crystal

using a laser and converts the result to an electrical signal in an optical receiver
circuit.

Above Figure shows the working of the RED TACTON device over the
surface of our body. The transmitting RED TACTON device changes the
electric field on the surface of our body. This is sensed by the electric field
sensor and the variations are given to the receiving RED TACTON device.

MECHANISM OF RED TACTON

7
Data is received using a photonic electric field sensor that combines an electro-
optic crystal and a laser light to detect fluctuations in the minute electric field. The
naturally occurring electric field induced on the surface of the human body
dissipates into the earth. Therefore, this electric field is exceptionally faint and
unstable.

The photonic electric field sensor developed by NTT enables weak electric fields
to be measured by detecting changes in the optical properties of an electro-optic
crystal with a laser beam.

Figure shows the various electric fields on the surface of our body induced
by the RED TACTON device. Only a portion of the induced electric field is
sensed by the receiving RED TACTON device. The remaining electric fields
are dissipated to the ground.

RED TACTON TRANSCEIVER

8
Figure below shows the block diagram of a RED TACTON transceiver. The signal
from the interface is sent to the data sense circuit and the transmitter circuit. The
data sense circuit senses the signal and if the data is present it sends control
signal to the transmitter which activates the transmitter circuit. The transmitter
circuit varies the electric field on the surface of our body. This change in the
electric field is detected by the electro-optic sensor. The output of the electro-optic
sensor is given to the detector circuit, which in turn given to the interface of the
receiving RED TACTON device.

Block diagram of Red TACTON transceiver.

FUNCTIONAL FEATURES

9
1. A communications path can be created with a simple touch, automatically
initiating the flow of data between a body-centric electronic device and a computer
that is embedded in the environment. For example, two people equipped with Red
Tacton devices could exchange data just by shaking hands.

A wide range of natural human actions grasping, sitting down, walking, or standing
in a particular place can be used to trigger Red Tacton to start a networked
process.

2. Using a Red Tacton electro-optic sensor, two-way communication is supported

between any two points on the body at a throughput of up to 10 Mbps.
Communication is not just confined to the surface of the body, but can travel
through the user's clothing to a Red Tacton device in a pocket or through shoes to
communicate with a Red Tacton device embedded in the floor. Unlike wireless
technologies, the transmission speed does not deteriorate even in the presence of
large crowds of people all communicating at the same time in meeting rooms,
auditoriums or stores. Because the body surface is the transmission path,
increasing the number of connected users directly increases the available number
of individual channels.

3. Red Tacton can utilize a wide range of materials as a transmission medium, as

long as the material is conductive and dielectric, which includes water and other
liquids, various metals, certain plastics, glass, etc.

Using ordinary structures such as tables and walls that are familiar and readily
available, one could easily construct a seamless communication environment at
very low cost using Red Tacton. (Note that constraints are imposed by the length
and environment of the propagating conductor, and by the thickness of the
dielectric.)

HUMAN AREA NETWORKS

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In addition to the WANs (Internet) and LANs, there are applications best served by
Human Area Networks (HANs) that connect the last meter.

Human society is entering an era of ubiquitous computing, where everything is

networked.

By making Human Area Networks feasible, RedTacton will enable ubiquitous

services based on human-centered interactions and therefore more intimate and
easier for people to use.

FEATURES

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1. TOUCH

Touching, gripping, sitting, walking, stepping and other human movements can be
the triggers for unlocking or locking, starting or stopping equipment, or obtaining
data. Using RedTacton, communication starts when terminals carried by the user
or embedded in devices are linked in various combinations through physical
contact according to the human's natural movements.

2. BROADBAND & INTERACTIVE

Duplex, interactive communication is possible at a maximum speed of 10Mbps.

Because the transmission path is on the surface of the body, transmission speed
does not deteriorate in congested areas where many people are communicating at
the same time .Taking advantage of this speed, device drivers can be downloaded
instantly and execute programs can be sent.

Above Figures shows difference between wireless LAN and

Redtacton
12
3. ANY MEDIA

In addition to the human body, various conductors and dielectrics can be used as
transmission media. Conductors and dielectrics may also be used in combination.

DI ELETRICS CONDUCTORS

(Signals pass through materials) (Signals travel along

surface)

A communication environment can be created easily and at low-cost by using

items close at hand, such as desks, walls, and metal objects. But there is one
limitation on the length of the conductor to be propagated, on installation locations,
and on the thickness of the dielectric to be passed through.

WORKING PROCEDURE

1. Transmitter sends data

2. Transmitting transceiver creates a change in the field

3. Field from human body dissipates into earth

4. Electric field is received using sensing technology

5. Receiving transceiver recognizes the change in the electric field

6. Sensing technology measures the weak electric fields induced.

7. Electro-optical crystal uses laser to convert and read the signal

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APPLICATIONS

1. One to one services

With the ability to send attribute data from personal information devices worn on
the body to computers embedded in the environment, one-to-one services could
be implemented that are tailored to the individual needs of the user.

2. Intuitive operation of personal information

Communication is triggered by totally natural human actions and behavior, so

there is no need to insert smart cards, connect cables, tune frequencies, or any of
the other inconveniences usually associated with today's electronic devices.

A simple handshake can transfer data.

3. Device personalization

Setup, registration, and configuration information for an individual user can all be
14
uploaded to a device the instant the device is touched, eliminating the need for the
device to be registered or configured in advance.

4. New behavior patterns

Tables, walls, floors and chairs can all act as conductors and dielectrics, turning
furniture and other architectural elements into a new class of transmission
medium. For example, a user could have instant access to the Internet merely by
placing a laptop onto a conductive tabletop.

5. Marketing applications

When a consumer stands in front of an advertising panel, advertising and

information matching his or her attributes is automatically displayed. By touching
or standing in front of items they are interested in, consumers can get more in-
depth information.

A customer touching the advertising panel and getting information about

that advertisement through RED TACTON device

6. Security applications

Red Tacton could be installed on doors, cabinets and other locations calling for
secure access, such that each secure access could be initiated and authenticated
with a simple touch. At the same time, all the transaction details and relevant user
attributes (personal identity, security clearance, etc.) could be logged by the
security system.

The transmitting and receiving electrodes of the RedTacton transceiver are

15
completely covered with insulating film

When communication occurs, displacement current is generated by the electrons

in the body because the body is subjected to minute electrical fields. However,
such displacement currents are very common everyday occurrences to which we
are all subjected.

Intuitive Operations

Touch printer to print

Instantaneous private network via personal handshake

16
 User verification and unlocking with just a touch

17
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW.

Savithaa. N et al (2021) had designed a smart medicine box which had an android
application which is installed on the patient’s smart phone. Through this application
patients could view their prescriptions and get notifications regarding medicine
intake. Medicine box is provided with different compartments. An LED on top of
each section signify the right box. At any moment patient opens a mistaken
section, a warning will occur with the help of Arduino. A WI-FI shield is attached to
the Arduino board and this microcontroller picks up the data and sends it through
WI-FI module. These compartments are opened or closed by servo motor by
means of electrical signal arrived from Arduino microcontroller. The device is
programmed with Arduino which is plugged with alarm and LED display. Smart
medicine box attached with vital parameter measuring sensors is implemented
with IoT technology. Doesn’t recover special training for handling. It is a user-
friendly device even elder patients can operate easily. The instructions are
displayed in LCD display

Divya Sai. K et al (2021) had designed a medicine box where the schedule
data/configuration data is sent to the pill box through IoT. The smart pill box
contains Arduino MCU, LED display, LEDs, buzzer, buttons, Pulse Sensor and
Temperature Sensor.The LED are used to display the commands in pill box by
MCU. The Wi-Fi module is configured with IoT. The configuration data is send to
the smart pillbox when the configuration is in ON mode. The concerned LED glow
with buzzer at schedule time. It is cost efficient and user friendly as user can set
time table of medicine by himself. Highly reliable and the product can be used for
long time. It is easy to use and manufacture It also provides accurate result

Anandhapadmanaban .S et al (2020) used Peltier module which is imported into

one of the compartments made for cold storage and other compartments left
without Peltier for room temperature storage. According to medical adherence, box
is splitted to store drugs to be taken thrice times in a day. The patient’s vital signs
namely body temperature and heart beat rate are sensed and sent via sensor
probe. An additional switch is built to alert the preset guardian through GSM
module when it is triggered by strangers or guardians at emergency situation.

18
Cloud storage

19
assists doctors to analyze the patient’s health graph and gain knowledge about the
recovery or degradation of their patient’s health. By these knowledge doctors
easily prepare their treatment plan earlier for his/her patient

Nur Zulaikhah Nadzri et al (2020) designed the device in such a way that the user
will set the time according to the medicine scheduled by the doctor by using the
Blynk apps. Then, if the time is correct it will notify by 2 notification, LED and
buzzer is on. Magnetic switch is used to detect the action of opening and closing
the iBox cover. LDR to detect the action of taking the medicine If the user takes
the medicine, the data will be stored in the cloud and this is triggered by the reed
switch

Harshitha V et al (2020) created an IoT device is designed to remind patients

about their medication time. By using the GSM, the caretakers can be notified
through smart phones. Sensors like IR sensor, camera, and RFID tags are used to
count the number of pills inside a tray and whether medicines has been taken
properly These are interfaced with Arduino UNO micro-controller. The RFID
stickers fastened on each tablet sheet will be scanned by using the RFID, camera
and IR sensor. The sensors will be giving the count of pills inside the box
periodically for every 5 to 6 hours. The timings for the intake of medicines by the
patient will be set using RTC. By using RFID tags the pills which are taken can be
identified, whether the patient has taken correct medicine or not at a prescribed
time. The data will be updated into the web browser using the Wi-Fi module. After
completely taking the medicines over days/months the device will be fixing an
appointment with the doctor automatically by sending a message using the GSM
module and also convey the same to the medical shops to deliver the required
medicines to patients address or to the hospitals. Focuses on alerting the users,
care-takers about the medicine intake time of the patients. When the pill box
becomes empty it sends a purchasing notification to the medical shop about the
medicines that has to be purchased. The device also fixes an appointment with the
doctor when the usage of medicines is completed.

Viral Doshi et al (2019) made a device which consisted of a small box divided into
21 sections for storing pills for a week of up to 3 patients. The box was connected
to an RTC module, an Arduino AT mega 2560. The RFID tag will be given to each
patient. When it is brought close to the reader, the medication will be dispensed.

20
RTC is used to compare the time the dosage is to be given with the current time. It
will check whether the RFID tag is read by RFID reader. If the condition is true.
The

21
box will open about 60 sec and then the section will be closed, also it will store
data as DOSAGE TAKEN. It will then go back to monitor the current time. If the
condition is false and 30 sec after the notification was sent are completed the LED
and BUZZER will be turned off. It shall then check for the current time is equal to
set time + 5 minutes, if the condition is true, the patient will receive the second
reminder. The LED and BUZZER will be turned on again for 30 sec. If the RFID
tag is not detected the data would be stored as dosage missed. WIFI-module is
used in sending the results which will be stored in the database.

Akshaya. C et al (2019) made a medicine kit that has individual compartments that
can be filled with medicines and designed in a way to fill medicines when the
compartments are empty. When it is time for medication the medicine box drops
the pills and sounds an alarm with notification until we take the pills .The setup is
interfaced with servo motor and a GSM module to provide notification. A speaker
module is connected to the ATMEGA 328. Then the LED on the pillbox glows and
an alarm is also generated indicating which pill should be taken. The
microcontroller is interfaced with two output modules. The LCD module for display
operations and Buzzer for alarm function. Additional. The GSM module is
connected via the UART. The GSM module is interfaced to the controller for
sending messages to the patient as an alert system. The numbers to be accessed
by the GSM is read from the microcontroller’s memory.

Nausheen Fatima et al (2019) designed a device which had visual indicator which
would light up along with the speaker. Also had a buzzer which will give a loud
auditory indication that the medicine needs to be taken. A mobile app will give
details about whether the patient has taken medicine or not for that time. It also
has Heart beat sensor and temperature sensor. The Real time clock inside the
LPC2148 will update the registers. The registers are then loaded to the RAM of the
LCD and hence displayed on the Screen. When the box is opened, a delay timer is
set for 1 minutes. The buzzer and LED will remain ON until the patient has taken
the pill. As soon as the patient takes the pill the door will close after a delay of few
seconds. The result is updated on the mobile application with the color of bar
changing to green. Similar operation is performed, and if the patient has not taken
his pill, the buzzer will sound and LED will blink and mobile application is updated
with Red color of the bar indicating that the patient has not taken his pill.

22
Deepak Bhatt et al (2018) made an automated medicine box, operated by the
ESP8266 microcontroller. This controller has an in-built Wi-Fi module which can
connect to a smart phone. The microcontroller is programed such that whenever it
is powered ON, it will connect to the smart phone through Wi-Fi. The
microcontroller will attempt MQTT connection with smartphone’s android
application. Once the MQTT connection is established, the user can update the
schedule of medicines. The medicine timings will be stored even if the
microcontroller is powered OFF Microcontroller checks for the respective medicine
type once the medicine type is determined, the microcontroller will eject the
respective medicine’s tray. After the timer of 1 minute, the medicine tray will get
back automatically. This process keeps repeating to serve the purpose of smart
medicine box. The proposed system helps to remind the patients to take the
correct medicines at the correct time. This system just requires the patients to
update the prescribed time through an android application of their smart phone and
subsequently the smart medicine box will automatically dispense the correct
medicine

Roy Abi Zeid Daou et al (2018) designed one in which the weight of the pill is
monitored using a safety weight sensor system. The Processor does the
calculations to check if the patient has taken the medication on time or not. For this
a safety-related 1oo2 architecture is targeted (one out of two) channels are
connected in such a way that one of them is sufficient for triggering the safety
function. a safety-related weight sensor system is used.

Not failed- the processing units will unlock the medicine box, send alarm, and
determine the number of used pills.

On failure-, the system will trigger the safe function which is defined in sending a
message to the patient and to the ones using the phone application

The suggested system is able to measure the weight of the pills, monitor the
medicine intake, and remind the patient to take their medication during the allotted
time. It’s a device that only unlocks through the application, it is safe to keep it
anywhere as it is out of the reach of children

Diaa SalamaAbdul et al (2018) their device was able to logs the pill name, number
of pills and hours at which each pill is actually taken versus the time it should have

23
been taken. Emitting warnings to the owner's relatives or nurses if needed. The
pills

24
box contains nine separate sub-boxes so can have 9 distinct pills. Has 3 parts The
pill refilling mechanism, the pill dispensing mechanism and the electronic module.
Also has a pill tray where each one of the pills will exit the pillbox. Pill is dispensed
once the patient presses the button When it has to be discharged the pipe will be
aligned with the hatch opening (outlet) the pipe then rotates, aligning the empty
compartment of the pill storage with the hatch opening, preventing any other
compartments to be aligned over the hatch. It productively controls the season of
senior citizens to take medication. It additionally diminishes the proportion that
patient misses and defers taking medication

Ekbal Rosli et al (2018) created a robotic device that can assist patient to take
medicine alone by implementing an IOT apps system for controlling the Smart
Medicine Box. There are four sensors. The purpose of PIR sensor is to detect
hand movement near the device, while IR sensor is to detect the line follower on
the floor. The LM 35 acts as the detection of the temperature inside the box and
the ultrasonic acts as the detection of the obstacle in front of the device. The servo
motor will be used in the box to drop the medicine, DC motor will move from one
place to another when receiving the command from the microcontroller. This
monitors the consumption of medicine intake for intrinsic patients. It is practical in
the morning and evening but also can be used at night. This device is controlled by
using Bluetooth system, so the nurse does not need go to the personal ward to
give the medicine. Monitors the consumption of medicine intake for intrinsic
patients. It is practical in the morning and evening but also can be used at night.
This device is controlled by using Bluetooth system, so the nurse does not need
go to the personal ward to give the medicine

Sanjay Bhati et al (2017) made a device where setting up time table of prescribed
medicines through push buttons as given in prescription. Present time will be
saved in RTC module and notification time will be saved in EEPROM. Therefore at
the time of taking medicine system generate Notification sound and display the
Bright light in certain pill boxes. So, patient can know the specific number of box
from which he has to take out medicines. All pill boxes are pre-loaded in the
system which patient needs to take at given time. Can sense if the patient had
taken out pills from the box or not. If the user open and closes the box
immediately, system once again starts generating loud sound and forces the user

25
to take pills again

26
 CHAPTER 3

SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

PROPOSED SYSTE<

To design an automated medicine dispenser that uses *RedTacton technology* for

secure and personalized drug dispensing. This system ensures that only
authorized patients receive the correct medicine at the right time, reducing
medication errors and improving healthcare efficiency.

RedTacton* is a *human body communication technology* that uses the surface of

the human body as a transmission medium for data. It enables *touch-based
authentication*, making it more secure and convenient than traditional methods
like RFID or biometrics.

There are presently smart medicine box that can are in the market but they are
tedious to use as in some device you would have to continuously push the button
to set the time, Tedious to understand and difficult to use.

The present investigations can be used as a prototype for other research going on
in this device as it’s a simple, cheap and easy to use device. This is done by using
a button which controls the drawer.

27
 CHAPTER 4

MATERIALS AND METHODS

4.2.1 POWER SUPPLY

Fig 4.2Circuit Diagram of Power Supply

Working principle
The AC voltage, typically 220 RMS, is connected to a transformer, which steps
that ac voltage down to the level of the desired DC output. A diode rectifier then
provides a full-wave rectified voltage that is initially filtered by a simple capacitor
filter to produce a dc voltage. This resulting dc voltage usually has some ripple or ac
voltage variation. A regulator circuit removes the ripples and also remains the same dc
value even if the input dc voltage varies, or the load connected to the output dc voltage
changes.
The potential transformer will step down the power supply voltage (0-230V) to (0-6V)
level. Then the secondary of the potential transformer will be connected to the
precision rectifier, which is constructed with the help of op-amp. The advantages of
using precision rectifier are it will give peak voltage output as DC; rest of the circuits
will give only RMS output. A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating
current to direct current or at least to current with only positive value, a process known
as rectification. Rectifiers are used as components of power supplies and as detectors
of radio signals. When four diodes are connected as shown in the power supply circuit
diagram, is called Bridge rectifier. The input to the circuit is applied to the diagonally
opposite corners of the network, and the output is taken from the remaining two
corners.

28
 Voltage regulators comprise a class of widely used ICs. Regulator IC units
contain the circuitry for reference source, comparator amplifier, and overload
protection all in a single IC. IC units provide regulation of either a fixed positive
voltage, a fixed negative voltage, or an adjustably set voltage. The regulators can be
selected for operation with load currents from hundreds of milli amperes to tens of
amperes, corresponding to power ratings form milli watts to ten watt. A fixed three-
terminal voltage regulator has an unregulated dc input voltage, V i, applied to one input
terminal, a regulated dc output voltage, Vo , from a second terminal, with the third
terminal connected to ground.

DC MOTOR
A DC series motor converts electrical energy to mechanical energy. Its principle of
operation is based on a simple electromagnetic law that states that when a magnetic field is
created around current carrying conductor and interacts with an external field, rotational
motion is generated.

 The key components of a DC series motor are the armature (rotor), stator, commutator,

field windings, axle, and brushes. The stationary part of the motor,
the stator is made up of two or more electromagnet pole pieces, and the rotor is comprised of
the armature, with windings on the core connected to the commutator. The output power
source is connected to the armature windings through a brush arrangement connected to the
commutator. The rotor has a central axle about which the rotor rotates.

The field winding should be able to support high current because the greater the amount of
current through the winding, the greater will be the torque generated by the motor. So the
winding of the motor is made up of thick heavy gauge wire. Heavy gauge wire does not
allow a large number of turns. The winding is made up of thick copper bars as it helps in

29
easy and efficient dissipation of heat generated as a result of flow of large amount of current
through winding.

 Principle of Operation
An external voltage source is applied across the series configuration of field winding and
armature. So one end of the voltage source is connected to the winding and the other end is
connected to the armature through the brushes.

Initially at the motor start up, with the voltage source connected to the motor, it draws a
huge amount of current because both the winding and the armature of the motor, both made
up of large conductors, offer minimum resistance to the current path. The large current
through the winding yields a strong magnetic field.

This strong magnetic field provides high torque to the armature shaft, thus invoking the
spinning action of the armature. Thus the motor starts rotating at its maximum speed in the
beginning. The rotating armature in the presence of the magnetic field results in counter
EMF, which limits the current build up in the series combination of armature and winding.

Thus series motors once started will offer maximum speed and torque but gradually, with an
increase in speed, its torque will come down because of its reduced current. Practically this
is what required from the motors. Due to the high torque provided by the armature, the load
on the shaft is set to rotate initially. Subsequently lesser torque will keep the load on the
move. This further helps in increasing the heat dissipation of the motor. However, the
amount of torque generated by motor is directly proportional to the winding current. The
higher current demands a higher power supply, too.

 Motor Speed
In DC series motors, a linear relationship exists between the amount of torque produced and
the current flowing through the field windings. The speed of the motor can be controlled by
varying the voltage across the motor, which further controls the torque of motor.

30
To increase the speed of the motor, decrease the field current by placing a small resistance in
parallel to the winding and armature. The decrease in current will result in lowering of
magnetic flux and counter EMF, which further hastens the motor’s speed.

To decrease the speed, use an external series resistance along with the field winding and
armature. This will reduce the voltage across the armature with the same counter EMF, thus
resulting in a lower speed of motor.

Unlike DC shunt motors, series motor does not operate at the constant speed. The speed of
the motor varies with change in the shaft load, so speed control of the motor is not easy to
put into practice.

4.1.8 RELAY

A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a

switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are
used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal (with complete
electrical isolation between control and controlled circuits), or where several circuits must
be controlled by one signal. The first relays were used in long distance telegraph circuits,
repeating the signal coming in from one circuit and re-transmitting it to another.

A relay will switch one or more poles, each of whose contacts can be thrown by energizing
the coil in one of three ways:
31
 Normally-open (NO) contacts connect the circuit when the relay is activated; the circuit is
disconnected when the relay is inactive. It is also called a Form A contact or "make"
contact. NO contacts can also be distinguished as "early-make" or NOEM, which means
that the contacts will close before the button or switch is fully engaged.

 Normally-closed (NC) contacts disconnect the circuit when the relay is activated; the
circuit is connected when the relay is inactive. It is also called a Form B contact or "break"
contact. NC contacts can also be distinguished as "late-break" or NCLB, which means that
the contacts will stay closed until the button or switch is fully disengaged.

 Change-over (CO), or double-throw (DT), contacts control two circuits: one normally-
open contact and one normally-closed contact with a common terminal. It is also called a
Form C contact or "transfer" contact ("break before make"). If this type of contact
utilizes”make before break" functionality, then it is called a Form D contact.

SPDT – Single Pole Double Throw. A common terminal connects to either of two others.
Including two for the coil, such a relay has five terminals in total.

4.1.9 This is WiFi serial transceiver module, based on ESP8266 SoC., The SOC has
Integrated TCP/IP protocol stack. ESP8266 is a highly integrated chip designed for the
needs of a new connected world. It offers a complete and self-contained Wi-Fi networking
solution, allowing it to either host the application or to offload all Wi-Fi networking
functions from another application processor.

ESP8266 has powerful on-board processing and storage capabilities that allow it to be
integrated with the sensors and other application specific devices through its GPIOs with
minimal development up-front and minimal loading during runtime. Its high degree of on-
chip integration allows for minimal external circuitry, and the entire solution, including
front-end module, is designed to occupy minimal PCB area.

4.1.10(GPS

The (GPS) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—
embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that
enable these objects to collect and exchange data as shown in the Figure 4.24. In 2013 the
Global Standards Initiative on Internet of Things (GPS-GSI) defined the GPS as "the
infrastructure of the information society."

32
The GPS allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network
infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into
computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic
benefit. When GPS is augmented with sensors and actuators, the technology becomes an
instance of the more general class of cyber-physical systems, which also encompasses
technologies such as smart grids, smart homes, intelligent transportation and smart cities.

4.2.3 ARDUINO MICRO CONTROLLER

Fig 4.3 Arduino microcontroller

This document is a short introduction to the architecture of the Atmel

ATmega328P microcontroller and provides some information on using it in EE 459
projects. Additional documents on the EE 459 web site describe using the C software
development system. For more complete information on any of the topics below, see
the full Atmel datasheet or programming manual. A portion of the data sheet is
attached to the end of this document. The Atmel ATmega328P is one member of the
Atmel 8-bit microcontroller family. Each member of the family has different amounts
of RAM, ROM, I/O ports, etc. Depending on the number of external pins required they
may come in packages with more than a hundred pins, or with as few as eight.
33
ATmega328P was selected for the EE 459 class for a variety of reasons:
• Availability of both the chips and development software.
• Available in 28-pin DIP (dual-inline package) that fits into available IC sockets.
• Enough TTL compatible1 I/O pins (21) to handle most EE 459 project tasks.
• FLASH memory for easy and fast reprogramming.
The ATmega328P contains the following components:
• 32kb of FLASH memory for program storage.
• 2kb of RAM memory.
• 1kb of EEPROM memory
• Two 8-bit and one 16-bit timer/ counters.
These can count internal clock cycles or external events and generate an interrupt
when reaching a specified count value.
• 6 channels of 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
• Serial communications port. This can be used to communicate to the COM port of a
computer.
• I 2C interface port for communication with other I2C compatible ICs
• 21 lines of general purpose I/O.
Minimum Connections
In order to make the microcontroller operate the following connections must be made.
Power and Ground
The power supply voltage (5 volts) must be connected to the VCC input on pin 7. The
ground connections are on pins 8 and 22.
Clock
Some sort of clock signal must be provided in order for the microcontroller to operate.
On the ATmega328P the clock can come from one of three different sources. The
selection of the clock source is done by programming fuse bits in the chip. A TTL-
compatible clock signal can be generated externally by other logic and connected to
the XTAL1 input (pin 9.) This probably the easiest way to generate the clock for the
EE 459 projects. The lab has a supply of DIP oscillators in some of the more common
frequencies. These output a TTL level square wave that can be fed directly into the
microcontroller and to other chips. Alternatively, the processor can generate a clock if
a crystal is connected to the XTAL1 and XTAL2 inputs. This method uses a plain
34
crystal, not the DIP crystal oscillators as described above.
The third method uses an internal oscillator that runs at approximately 8MHz. This is
probably the least accurate way to generate a clock. Do not use this method if your
project requires a clock running close to a specified frequency.
The advantage of using the internal clock is that you do not need to provide any
external signal and other functions are now available on pin 9.
For example it can now be used as Port B bit 6 (PB6) thus giving the microcontroller
22 I/O pins. In applications where the UART0 serial communications interface is
being used, the choice of clock frequency determines the baud rates that can be used
for transmitting and receiving serial data. The accuracy of the frequency of the baud
rate depends on the clock frequency used for the microcontroller. If a high degree of
accuracy is required, an external oscillator of the correct frequency will be needed.
Reset
The reset input (RESET, pin 1) must be in the high state for the processor to operate
normally. This pin has an internal pull-up and does not have to be externally pulled-up
to VCC in order for the processor to operate normally.
SPI Programming
The Flash memory on the ATmega328P is programed using connections to the reset
input and three other pins: PB3, PB4 and PB5. These three I/O pins can be used for
other purposes as long as the design allows the programming hardware to have sole
access to these pins during the programming process. Make sure that none of these
pins is used as in input from some source that will continue to drive a signal at the
328P while the reset line is in the low state.
I/O Ports
When used with an external clock, the ATmega328P has 21 pins that can be
configured for general purpose I/O. Many of these can also be used for other purposes
such as analog-to-digital conversion, timers, etc. All the I/O port bits are capable of
sourcing or sinking current to drive higher-current devices like LEDs. For each port
there are three registers that control the actions of the individual bits of the port: Data
Direction Register (DDRx) - These registers determine whether the pins for that port
are serving as inputs or outputs. Initially, or upon a reset signal, the bits in the DDRs
are all zero which makes the corresponding I/O port bits inputs. To use a I/O port bit
35
as an output, the corresponding bit in the DDR must be set to a one.
Port Output Register (PORTx)
When an I/O bit is configured as in input, the bits in the PORTx register
determine whether the internal pull-up resister is enabled. Writing a one to a bit in
PORTx register turns on the corresponding pull-up resistor, and writing a zero turns it
off.
Port Input Register (PINx)
The PINx registers are read-only registers and are used when the pin is con-
figured to be an input. The value of the bit in the register indicates the logic level on
the corresponding pin. If the pin is in the high state the value in the register is a one. If
the pin is in the low state the value is a zero. A potential problem can sometimes occur
in a design that requires switching bits in a port between input and output. Since the
direction of the port bit and the output state of the port bit are controlled by bits in
separate registers it’s not possible to switch both conditions at the same time. They
must be changed individually and this can lead to the port bit briefly being in an
undesirable
Port B (PB)
Port B on the ATmega328P has seven usable pins (PB0 through PB5 and PB7). A
eighth bit, PB6, shares a pin with the XTAL1 input. If the chip is configured for an
external clock, this pin is not available for I/O. Three of the pins (PB3, PB4 and PB5)
are use for the SPI interface for programming the Flash memory. These pins should
not be used as inputs connected to sources that will continue to drive signals at the
328P while in the reset state.
Port C (PC)
Port C on the 328P has six pins (PC0 through PC5). A seventh bit, PC6, shares a pin
with the RESET input. By changing the configuration fuse settings this bit can be use
for I/O. Most of the pins in PC are shared with the analog-to-digital converter so if the
ADC function is used one or more pins will not be available for general purpose I/O.
In addition, PC4 and PC5 are use for the I2C interface and will not be available for
general I/O if I2C is used.
Port D (PD)
Port D on the 328P has eight pins (PD0 through PD7). Two of the pins, PD0 and PD1,
36
are shared with the serial communications interface and can not be used as I/O if the
USART0 functions are used.
Timer/Counters
The ATmega328P contains three timers: Timer/Counter0 - an 8-bit counter.
Timer/Counter1 - a 16-bit counter. Timer/Counter2 - an 8-bit counter similar to
Timer/Counter0 but with asynchronous clocking capability. The internal timers can be
used to count events and generate an interrupt when a specified number of events has
occurred. A common use of a timer is to implement a delay function by counting the
number of internal clock cycles that occur. The example on the class web site in
program at328-2.c and discussed below uses the 16-bit timer but the the procedure is
similar for the 8-bit timers.
To implements a delay first set the timer for “Clear Timer on Compare Match” (CTC)
mode using Output Compare Register A (OCR1A). The mode is set using four bits:
WGM12 and WGM13 in TCCR1B, and WGM10 and WGM11 in TCCR1A. In most
situations enabling the CTC interrupt is also required. This is done by setting the
OCIE1A bit in the TIMSK1 register. In this mode the counter counts up to the value in
OCR1A, generates an interrupt, clears the count and starts counting up again. Use the
rate of the internal clock to calculate what count value the counter will need to count
to. If the maximum value exceeds the range of the timer’s 16-bit register (greater then
65,535), determine what value to use in the prescaler to divide the internal clock by (8,
64, 256 or 1024) before it reaches the timer. The maximum count value, after any
prescaling, is loaded into the Output Capture Register (OCR1A). The prescaler is
controlled by bits CS10, CS11 and CS12 in TCCR1B. The action of setting the
prescaler bits to something other than all zeros starts the timer counting. To turn the
timer off, set the prescaler bits to all zero. When the counter reaches the maximum
count value, it generates an interrupt, resets the count value to zero and continues to
count. The user program should service the interrupt and take whatever action is
necessary. Keep in mind that the counter does not stop and wait for the interrupt to be
serviced. It continues to count regardless of when or if the user program services the
interrupt.
Serial Communications Interface
The ATmega328P contains a Universal Synchronous and Asynchronous serial
37
Receiver and Transmitter (USART) that can be used to interface to the “COM” port on
a PC or to another device. The data is transmitted from the ATmega328P on the TxD
pin, and data is received on the RxD pin. If the external device is using RS-232 voltage
levels for signaling, an external RS-232 transceiver chip like a Maxim MAX232 is
needed to translate between the voltage levels the ATmega328P uses and RS-232
positive and negative voltages.
I2C Interface
The ATmega328P has the ability to communicate to other IC’s using the IIC or
I2C serial interface. This is a two line bi-directional interface designed for medium
speed communications between ICs on a board. One line is the clock, the other is for
data. Numerous ICs are available on the market that have I2C interface such as
EEPROMs, Temperature sensors, real-time-clocks, RAM, etc. On the 328P, the I2C
interface is available on pins 27 and 28. These pins are shared with both the ADC
function and by Port C (PC4 and PC5). If the I2C interface is enabled then any other
function on those pins is not available. If the pins mentioned above are not available
for use, it is still possible to implement an I2C interface by using software to perform
all the I2C transactions. Several I2C libraries are available from Internet sites, most of
which will probably have to be modified to work with the 328P. For more information
on using I2C, see the document “Using the IIC Interface” on the class web site. This
document also contains information on using the oscilloscopes in the lab to debug I2C
transactions. 2.6 A/D Conversion The 328P has an internal 10-bit analog-to-digital
converter for converting analog voltages to a binary value. The ADC inputs can be
used for a variety of tasks such as sampling a voltage to determine the position of an
input control. The ADC generates a value from 0 to 1023 for input levels between
ground and whatever upper reference voltage is selected. For simple measurements,
the upper reference voltage can be the ADC supply voltage input (AVCC) which is
normally connected to the chips VCC supply voltage. The ADC can accept input from
any one of 6 pins depending on the bits in control register. It can only do a conversion
of one input at a time. The conversion process requires an internal clock that can be
generated from the microcontroller clock by configuring a prescalar to divide it down
to reach a frequency between 50kHz and 200kHz. The following lines set the source of
the reference voltage to AVCC, set the output to have the 8 most significant bits of the
38
10-bit result stored in the ADCH register, set the prescaler to divide the clock by 128,
set the channel to be ADC3, and enable the ADC.
SPI Programming Interface
In order to program the ATmega328P a project board needs to have a six-pin
header on the board (Fig. 2) with connections to power, ground, reset and PB3, PB4
and PB5. Figure 3 shows the connections that need to be made. This is the view of the
connector from the top of the board (component side). This six-pin header mates with
the connector on the AVRISP mkII programming modules provided in the lab. When
mounting the header on your board make sure to leave some room around it for the
connector to mate with it. The cable to the connector comes in from the side where the
power and ground pins are located so it’s best to leave extra space on this side of the
connector for the cable. 3 Software There are several ways to create the code that gets
programmed into the FLASH memory of the processor. The “avr-gcc” software for
compiling C programs, linking, and downloading the executable program to the
ATmega328P is based on the “gcc” compiler package and is available for free from
various Internet sites for Macs and Windows systems. The Mac Pro systems in the EE
459 lab have development software installed on them can be used for programming the
microcontroller. More detailed information on acquiring, installing and using the
software for the 328P is discussed in a separate document available on the EE459 web
site.

39
 Fig 4.4: pin diagram of atmega328
4.2.3 LCD DISPLAY
An LCD is a small low cost display. It is easy to interface with a micro-
controller because of an embedded controller (the black blob on the back of the board).
This controller is standard across many displays (HD 44780), which means many
micro-controllers have libraries that make displaying messages as easy as a single line
of code.

40
 Fig 4.5: Schematic view of 16 x 2 LCD display
Features:
 5 x 8 dots with cursor

 built-in controller (ks 0066 or equivalent)

 + 5v power supply (also available for + 3v)

 1/16 duty cycle

 b/l to be driven by pin 1, pin 2 or pin 15, pin 16 or a.k (led)

 n.v. optional for + 3v power supply

3.1 SOFTWARE COMPONENETS:

41
Arduino IDE:

The Arduino Integrated Development Environment - or Arduino Software (IDE) -

contains a text editor for writing code, a message area, a text console, a toolbar
with buttons for common functions and a series of menus. The open-source
Arduino Software (IDE) makes it easy to write code and upload it to the board.
This software can be used with any Arduino board.

3.2 METHODOLOGY:

3.2.1 Proposed Methodolgy

Here the arduino UNO has been chosen to be the microcontroller. The RTC
module provides the time for this project. The LCD allows us to scroll through and
choose the time for a compartment by means of a knob. The led serves as the
visual indicator for the patient to know from which compartment the medication is
to be taken, the buzzer acts as the audio indicator. The box opens with means of
the servo motor, this is triggered by means of a button on performing this action a
SMS will be sent.

42
 Fig 4.3.1.1 Proposed system

3.2.2 Block diagram explanation

The 16x2 LCD serves as the interface through which the user can select the
compartment for which they want to set the time, they can select the time for 3
compartments titled med 1, med 2 and med 3. This is done by the help of the
rotatory encoder which acts as the knob by turning the knob clockwise and
anticlockwise we can scroll through the list of options provided. The time that has
been selected by the user will then be displayed on the LCD for a min or two and
then will move to the default screen which displays the current date and time

The time that has been selected will be stored in the eeprom of the arduino and at
that time set, the buzzer and the led which serves as the audio and visual indicator
respectively is activated. There are 3 LED present to indicate the 3 compartments
and only the LED corresponding to the compartment will glow so the patient can
know that it’s time and which compartment they have to reach out for their
medication. The LED and the buzzer can be switched off with the help of a button
and if that’s not the case they automatically stop after a min

Another button is present which controls the micro servo motor that serves the
purpose of opening the box and for sending the SMS to the guardian based on the
button input a SMS will be sent. For instance if the button is not pressed the box
remains in the same place as such a conclusion can be drawn, that the patient has

43
failed to take their medication at the specified time and so an SMS will be sent to
indicate this. On the other hand if they press the button the servo pushes the box
forward and so the patient has taken said medication and hence a corresponding
SMS will be sent to convey this information to the guardian/caretaker

4. RESULTS

The prototype of the medicine box is shown in figure 5.1. It consists of the LED’s
the two buttons for controlling the buzzer and servo motor, The sim800l which
allows communication between arduino and the guardian/caretaker or patients
phone. The servo motor is powered separately with an external battery supply
which drives the container back and forth at the time specified.

Fig 5.1: Prototype setup

When the arduino is powered on. It shows the starting screen as shown in figure
5.2.

Fig 5.2: The welcome screen when Arduino is powered on

44
It then moves to the main menu selection and on turning the knob the user can
scroll through the options present,

Fig 5.3: The menu system displaying alarm on the LCD

On choosing alarm we can then select the compartment for which we want to
select the time. We can choose the time for three compartment namely Med1,
Med2 , Med3. In figure 5.4 we have selected the time for the Med3

Fig 5.4: Med 3 has been selected for setting the time

After choosing the compartment we will be prompted to choose the hours and time
for the medication to be taken

Fig 5.5: Setting the time for the hours

45
 Fig 5.6: Setting the time for the minutes

The selected time will be displayed on the LCD for the user to see as shown in figure
5.7 So user can see the time that they have selected.

Fig 5.7: Time selected by user displayed on the screen

After 100 seconds the LCD will then move on to show the present time and date

Fig 5.8: Default screen is displayed after time selection

Both LED and buzzer sounds at the time specified by the user. On pushing the
button (Red) the buzzer and LED turns off as shown in the figure 5.9.

46
 Fig 5.9: Buzzer and LED turned on at the selected time

The LCD also displays a message to indicate which medication has to be

Fig 5.10: Message displayed at the time set

Then the second button (white) is pressed to push the container with the
medication forward and also a message is sent in this situation to indicate that the
medication has been taken as the box is now open.

Fig 5.11: Box opens sideway when button is pressed

47
Fig 5.12: Displays the message that will be sent (on success)

Failure of pressing this button also results in a message to be sent to indicate the
failure of taking said medication.

This was done by setting the time to 15:15 and even though the button for the
switching off the buzzer and LED was pressed and they both were turned off.
However this time the white button for opening the box wasn’t pressed at all as a
result after a minute had elapsed from the time that was set, a message was sent
to the phone to indicate this.

48
 Fig 5.13: Displays the message that will be sent (on failure)

5. Summary and Conclusion

Now it’s common to see people young and old take medication maybe be for
health purpose etc. The medication may be required to be taken many times per
day and people do tend to forget as they have many other things going on with
their lives. The project was done with the aim of trying to find a good measure for
this problem. This project can potentially help caretakers, guardians and patient as
it reduces their burden of having to constantly remember the fact that they or the
patient under the guidance have to take their medication and a specific time. The
project is inexpensive, easy and portable for use. More work can be done like
adding more options to the menu system, sensors for tracking pills weight, adding
more

49
 References
[1] Akshaya.C ,Jayasowmiya.J , Kanchana.P , Raja.J, ‘Smart Medicine Box’
International Journal of Engineering Research in Computer Science and
Engineering (IJERCSE) Vol 6, Issue 7, page no.125-128, July 2019
[2] Anandhapadmanaban .S, Ashifa .A, Sanjay Kumar .S, Suryalakshmi .R, ‘ A
Smart Medicine Box for Medication Management using IoT’ Journal of Xi'an
University of Architecture & Technology, Volume XII, Issue V, page
no.1169- 1173, 2020
[3] Deepak Bhatt, Shantanu Verma, Ghongade R.B,’ Smart Medicine Box’,
International Journal of Industrial Electronics and Electrical Engineering,
ISSN(p): 2347-6982, ISSN(e): 2349-204X Volume-6, Issue-3, page no.47-
50,
Mar.-2018
[4] Diaa SalamaAbdul MinaamMohamedAbd-ELfattah, ‘Smart drugs:Improving
Healthcare using Smart Pill Box for Medicine Reminder and Monitoring
System’ Elsevier B.V 20 page no 444-456, November 2018
[5] Divya Sai.K, SwarnaLatha.S ,Shoban Babu’.B "IoT Based Smart Pill Box
Using Arduino Microcontroller", International Journal of Emerging
Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162,
Vol.8, Issue 1, page no.370-375, January-2021,
[6] Ekbal Rosli, Yusnira HusainiIOP ‘Design and Development of Smart
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