Summary
For many seniors, pill schedules are difficult to adhere to both because of complicated medication schedules and increasing forgetfulness. Personally, both my grandmothers have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and it is very common for them to either forget, or mix up their medications. My parents, their primary caregivers, live a distance away, and it is difficult for them to keep track of their parents medication schedules. To address this problem, I designed and built a Smart Pillbox, with technology to sense when seniors have not taken their pills, and the ability to contact patients and caregivers with reminders and alerts. The final pillbox is able to tweet and text reminders to patients, primary caregivers, and a network of secondary caregivers.
After a trip to India in 2010, I noticed my grandmother’s quad-tipped cane was more often a hindrance to her than help on her daily walk. It was difficult for her to walk on uneven terrain, maneuver in densely populated areas, walk up stairs, and carry her cane into compact cars. When I returned, I set out to design and build a cane that would provide her with support in all these circumstances.
Leela Amladi 