A wireless tag apparatus and related medication compliance monitoring techniques are disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a motion detector configured to detect at least one of a movement of and an impact to the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a sensing circuit configured to scan, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a sensor array associated with a medication dispenser external to the apparatus to determine whether contents of at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser have been expelled. The apparatus further may include a transmitter configured to transmit, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a signal including data pertaining to whether the contents of the at least one medication compartment have been expelled, wherein the signal is a radio frequency signal. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be configured for use, for example, in monitoring medication compliance.

Disclosed are hypodermic needle devices having an easily-observed, visual indication that the drug contents of the device have expired. The visual indication may be triggered when a counter maintained by a processor of the hypodermic needle device has exceeded a time threshold. The time threshold may be configured based on the drug threshold, and the counter and time threshold may be manually or dynamically adjusted as real-world conditions change to alter the time to expiration. For instance, an prolonged increase in temperature detected by the temperature sensor may speed up the expiration rate of the drug and require a reduction in the time threshold.

A tablet and capsule dispensing assembly, comprising a case including an inner circumferential surface having a first plurality of teeth a tablet disc having a plurality of tablets disposed circumferentially thereon, the tablet disc arranged to rotate within the case, and a lock arranged to engage with the first plurality of teeth to prevent rotation of the tablet disc in a first rotational direction during a first predetermined time interval.

A dispensing assembly which includes a case having a superior component and inferior component, the superior component and inferior component operatively arranged to form a first cavity therebetween. A tablet disc is arranged within the first cavity having a plurality of tablets disposed about a circumference of the tablet disc, where the tablet disc is arranged to rotate about a central axis and within the case. The assembly further includes a lock to prevent rotation of the tablet disc in a first rotational direction during a first predetermined time interval. The lock includes a first component and a second component. The first component includes a display and a first circuit connected to the display. The second component includes an actuator, a catch, a plurality of teeth on an outer circumferential surface of the second component, and a ratchet operatively arranged to engage with the plurality of teeth and the case.

In a medicament dispensing device (1), when a medicament preparation-containing syringe (11) is replaced, a microprocessor (23) detects the time at which the replacement is performed as the time of the start of use of the preparation, and counts the elapsed time after the use of the preparation has started. Then, the microprocessor (23) notifies the result of the counting by a LCD (10), etc. to the user. Also, the microprocessor (23) detects that a syringe needle for dispensing the preparation has been mounted, and after detecting the mounting of the syringe needle, the microprocessor (23) counts the elapsed time after the start of use of the preparation. When an effective use period has expired, the microprocessor (23) issues a message in a step S17 that the effective period of a medicament has expired.

An asset tag apparatus and methods of monitoring assets with an asset tag are provided. The asset tag apparatus includes a housing and a wireless transmitter located within the housing. A processor is located within the housing, wherein the processor is in communication with the wireless transmitter. An accelerometer is positioned within the housing, wherein the accelerometer is in communication with the processor, wherein a wake-up signal is transmitted from the accelerometer to the processor in response to an activation of the accelerometer, and wherein the wireless transmitter transmits a signal externally from the housing in response to the wake-up signal received by the processor.

A wireless tag apparatus and related medication compliance monitoring techniques are disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a motion detector configured to detect at least one of a movement of and an impact to the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a sensing circuit configured to scan, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a sensor array associated with a medication dispenser external to the apparatus to determine whether contents of at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser have been expelled. The apparatus further may include a transmitter configured to transmit, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a signal including data pertaining to whether the contents of the at least one medication compartment have been expelled, wherein the signal is a radio frequency signal. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be configured for use, for example, in monitoring medication compliance.

A sensor array, method of making same, and related medication compliance monitoring techniques are disclosed. In some embodiments, the array may include a plurality of electrically conductive traces including first and second electrically conductive traces that are electrically isolated from one another. The array also may include an electrically resistive element coupled with the first and second electrically conductive traces. The array may be configured to interface with a medication dispenser such that: the electrically resistive element is disposed over at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser; and in expelling contents of the at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser, the electrically resistive element is broken. In some embodiments, the array may be configured for use, for example, in monitoring medication compliance.

Example embodiments relate to medication compliance alert devices. An example embodiment includes a method. The method includes capturing information about a medication label associated with a medication. The method also includes analyzing, by a first computing device, the information about the medication label to extract medication information. Further, the method includes generating, by the first computing device, a medication schedule for a corresponding patient associated with the medication. The medication schedule includes a dosage strength and dosage frequency. In addition, the method includes prompting, by a second computing device, the corresponding patient to take an amount of the medication corresponding to the dosage strength at a predetermined time according to the medication schedule. Still further, the method includes receiving, by the second computing device, an indication that the corresponding patient has taken the amount of the medication corresponding to the dosage strength.

A medication dispensing system is disclosed, having an interactive vial having a controllable lock for containing medications prescribed for a patient; a processor contained in the vial; a computer program stored in a computer readable medium the computer program comprising instructions for execution by the processor, the computer program comprising: instructions to read patient data for the patient from a data base stored in the computer readable medium; instructions to authorized dispensing of the medication from the vial; and instructions to upon reading an authorization value of YES, unlock the vial to allow access to the medication from the vial. A method for using the system is disclosed.