The disclosure relates to a system for identifying medicines, comprising a first measurement device for identifying, from the top, at least one first medicine deposited in a compartment of a pill box and analysing at least one identifying characteristic of the first medicine; and a second measurement device for identifying, from the bottom, at least one second medicine deposited in the compartment of said pill box and analysing at least one identifying characteristic of the second medicine. The system comprises a device for comparing the characteristic of the first medicine and the characteristic of the second medicine, for determining at least one validated medicine and comparing the characteristic of the validated medicine with medicine signature characteristics. The system also comprises a validation device for obtaining an identified content for the compartment and comparing the identified content with a prescription. Methods for identifying and validating medicines are also disclosed.

A drug collation device 10 includes a registered image acquisition unit 12 that acquires an image of a drug as a registered image on the basis of prescription information 22, a collation image acquisition unit 14 that acquires an image of a drug to be collated as a collation image, a similarity calculation unit 16 that calculates similarities between partial images in each corresponding divided region among a plurality of divided regions of the registered image acquired by the registered image acquisition unit 12 and a plurality of divided regions of the collation image acquired by the collation image acquisition unit 14, and a determination unit 18 that determines whether the drug indicated by the registered image and the drug indicated by the collation image are the same type, on the basis of the lowest similarity among a plurality of similarities calculated by the similarity calculation unit 16.

A drug collation device 10 includes a registered image acquisition unit 12 that acquires an image of a drug as a registered image on the basis of prescription information 22, a collation image acquisition unit 14 that acquires an image of a drug to be collated as a collation image, a similarity calculation unit 16 that calculates similarities between partial images in each corresponding divided region among a plurality of divided regions of the registered image acquired by the registered image acquisition unit 12 and a plurality of divided regions of the collation image acquired by the collation image acquisition unit 14, and a determination unit 18 that determines whether the drug indicated by the registered image and the drug indicated by the collation image are the same type, on the basis of the lowest similarity among a plurality of similarities calculated by the similarity calculation unit 16.

A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The pill feeder includes a rotating disk, a rotating rim, a lift gate, a separator gate, and an exit path. The rotating disk receives and moves pills in a rotation direction about a surface of the rotating disk at a first angular velocity. The rotating rim that moves pills received from the rotating disk in the same rotation direction as the rotating disk. The lift gate raises a height above the surface of the rotating rim that permits passage of a single layer of the plurality of pills. A transition to an exit chute of the pill feeder provides a plurality of slopes to control the orientation of pills transitioning from the rim to the exit chute.

A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The pill feeder includes a rotating disk, a rotating rim, a lift gate, a separator gate, and an exit path. The rotating disk receives and moves pills in a rotation direction about a surface of the rotating disk at a first angular velocity. The rotating rim that moves pills received from the rotating disk in the same rotation direction as the rotating disk. The lift gate raises a height above the surface of the rotating rim that permits passage of a single layer of the plurality of pills. A transition to an exit chute of the pill feeder provides a plurality of slopes to control the orientation of pills transitioning from the rim to the exit chute.

A measuring container comprises a storage container and a storage section selector. The storage container includes storage sections each capable of storing a predetermined number of tablets. The storage section selector is attached to the storage container and has a second path that allows the tablets to pass through from one end to an other end. The one end of the second path is connected to an outside, and the other end is selectively connected to one of the storage sections.

A method for monitoring a pinch valve, the method may include sensing an electrical parameter of at least one flexible sensor during a monitoring period to provide multiple values of the sensed electrical parameter; wherein the at least one flexible sensor comprises piezoresistive nanomaterials, wherein the piezoresistive nanomaterials are directly coupled to a flexible conduit of the pinch valve; wherein the sensed electrical parameter is indicative of a flexible conduit parameter selected out of stress and pressure; and estimating, based on the multiple values of the sensed electrical parameter, a state of the pinch valve.

A method for monitoring a pinch valve, the method may include sensing an electrical parameter of at least one flexible sensor during a monitoring period to provide multiple values of the sensed electrical parameter; wherein the at least one flexible sensor comprises piezoresistive nanomaterials, wherein the piezoresistive nanomaterials are directly coupled to a flexible conduit of the pinch valve; wherein the sensed electrical parameter is indicative of a flexible conduit parameter selected out of stress and pressure; and estimating, based on the multiple values of the sensed electrical parameter, a state of the pinch valve.

Embodiments of a holder for a blister sheet used to manage prescription pills are described herein. The holder solves the problem of limited space in filled blisters of a blister sheet during visual verification of the contents thereof by including a frame to receive the sheet in such a way that at least some of the blisters are positioned in close proximity to verification receptacles also provided on the holder to temporarily receive part of the blisters' content.

Embodiments of a holder for a blister sheet used to manage prescription pills are described herein. The holder solves the problem of limited space in filled blisters of a blister sheet during visual verification of the contents thereof by including a frame to receive the sheet in such a way that at least some of the blisters are positioned in close proximity to verification receptacles also provided on the holder to temporarily receive part of the blisters' content.