A reusable water-tight medicine cap for detecting and recording openings and closings. The cap has sealing means for engaging a rim of a bottle opening. Detection means is configured to detect the presence or absence of the bottle opening within the cap, while electronic circuitry may be included to control operations of the cap. There may be included compliance means for motivating the user to comply with medication instructions.

Techniques are provided for intelligent and secure dispensing of medication to a patient. A methodology implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes receiving a pill vial into a receptacle of a base unit of a pill dispensing device. The method also includes engaging a locking mechanism to secure the pill vial in the base unit until a release condition is satisfied. The method further includes scanning a label on the pill vial to record a prescription identifier and a dosage schedule, and to register the prescription for usage tracking. The method further includes monitoring patient usage of the prescription based on a count of removals of the pill vial from the receptacle and a timing of the removals and alerting the patient of a missed dose based on the dosage schedule and on detection of an elapsed time since a previous removal of the pill vial from the receptacle.

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for adherence monitoring, and devices, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring use of consumable dispensers. In general, the devices, systems, and methods can facilitate an individual's adherence to a schedule for consuming consumables and can facilitate monitoring and tracking of the individual's adherence to the schedule. The devices, systems, and methods can allow data regarding the individual's historical adherence to the schedule to be accessible via a computer system. In one embodiment, an accessory is provided that can be configured to attach to consumable dispensers. The accessory can be configured to be removably and replaceably coupled to the dispenser. The accessory can be configured to provide a notification to a user indicating that a certain event occurred and/or that a certain action needs to be taken. The accessory can be configured to sense attachment thereof to and removal thereof from the dispenser.

A medication dispensing system is provided and includes a medicine transfer device (MTD) and a controller. The MTD transfers medicine between first and second containers. The first container initially stores medicine. The controller: determines a first predetermined amount of medicine to be dispensed from the medicine dispensing system; causes the MTD to discharge a second predetermined amount of the medicine from the first container onto the MTD, and transfer a third predetermined amount of the medicine from the MTD to the second container; subsequent to the transfer of the third predetermined amount, determine whether the second container has greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount; and if the second container has less than the first predetermined amount, cause the MTD to transfer a portion of the medicine on the MTD into the second container or discharge a portion of the medicine in the first container onto the MTD.

A pill case (100) includes a pocket (9) which receives one pill (10) from an accommodation unit (8) in which a plurality of pills (10) are accommodated, and an extraction port (11) for ejecting the pill (10) in the pocket (9) to the outside. The pill case (100) includes a manipulation unit (for example, pill ejection button (4) and pill tray (5)) which converts a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) cannot be ejected through the extraction port (11) to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected through the extraction port (11) by being manipulated by a user. The pill case (100) includes a moving unit which is moved by indirectly or directly receiving a pressure from the pill (10) in the pocket (9) according to the moving manipulation to the manipulation unit, and a detection unit which detects that the moving unit is moved up to a position of the moving unit which corresponds to a state in which the pill (10) in the pocket (9) can be ejected.

A medication adherence system and corresponding medication box for improving medication adherence. The system includes the medication box, which is transparent and has a machine-readable marker, such as a QR code, on or beneath the floor thereof. The marker is capable of being scanned and read through the transparent bottoms of individual chambers. Data embedded in the marker includes, but is not limited to, the user's medication plan, the date and time when the medication is to be ingested, and instructions for recording the date and time when the marker is scanned and read. The underlying software program/application processes this information and provides an indication as to the user's compliance with the medication plan.

Technologies are generally described for providing a pill dispensing device with adherence monitoring and alerting features, as well as communication capabilities. A pill pack may be integrated within a housing of the pill dispensing device, where removal of each pill in the pill pack may be monitored through a conductive trace or comparable mechanism. Timing of the removal, remaining pills, and similar information may also be detected by the pill dispensing device and provided along with additional information such as health status of the consumer monitored by one or more sensors to a health care provider or similar entity over wired and/or wireless networks. The pill dispensing device may include audio and/or visual output device(s) to provide alerts and health/medication related information to the consumer. A display technology may employed enabling continuous display with low power usage such as ink display while providing color and/or video capabilities.

A medication-taking support device that has no possibility of a pill case being left outside the medication-taking support device even if the pill case ejected outside a casing is not received by a user is provided. The medication-taking support device includes a cassette (25) that stores medicine-containing pill cases in such a manner that the pill cases are stacked on top of one another, a push-out mechanism (30) that pushes out the pill case on a lowermost tier in the cassette (25) by a predetermined dimension, and a pull-back mechanism (32) that pulls back the pill case remaining on the lowermost tier without being extracted from the cassette (25) into the cassette (25).

The present invention is directed to a dispensing system, device, and method for the dispensing of a fluid supplement such as in the form of a concentrated fluid containing flavoring, nutrients, medication, and/or other supplements. Certain embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein comprise a handheld apparatus which allows the dispensing of predetermined amount of a fluid with single-handed use. Certain embodiments include self-contained pods which is controlled by a removable dispenser to allow for multiple types of fluids, and preventing cross-contamination within the dispenser.

Robotic pill dispensers are described. A robotic pill dispenser may include a main body forming a cavity and comprising an inlet port and an outlet port. The pill dispenser may further include a container assembly disposed in the cavity of the main body. The container assembly may include a container body and a plurality of blades fastened to the container body and dividing the container assembly into a plurality of compartments. The plurality of blades may be movable relative to the container body. The pill dispenser may further comprise a processor configured to control the pill dispenser to align a first compartment of the plurality of compartments to the outlet port, determine whether one or more medications are present in the first compartment, and control the mechanical actuator to shake at least a portion of the pill dispenser.