RX.go

Background

The final two weeks of the ME216M: Smart Product Design course were dedicated to creating a connected device in the health and wellness space.

Project Website | Slide Deck

Problem

More than half of Americans take two prescription medications, and 20% of Americans are on at least five prescription medications. Prescription non-adherence is a major health and financial issue in the US. Studying the habits of a friend and regular prescription user, we observed that basic adherence methods such as calendar notifications and reminders are ineffective because they are easy to ignore or prematurely checked off as completed.

Solution

Our team designed and prototyped a pill case outfitted with sensors that can tell if the pills are being taken. It connects to an online database so the user can track their success at taking medication on time and inform their caretaker or physician if they need some human encouragement. RX.go also gives the user gentle haptic, audio, and visual reminders when it is time to take a set of pills (and can send an optional reminder text with instructions on how to best take them). While alerts can be temporarily snoozed, they will not go away until the pills have been removed from the tray.