A medicine dispensing system includes canisters and packing assemblies to place specific doses of medicines into capsules. The system removes inert and filler ingredients to place only those active ingredients prescribed to the patient. The system includes a conveyor belt to move the capsules between canisters filled with the active ingredients. A dose is placed and packed into the capsules for each active ingredient. Thus, the number of capsules for a variety of medicines is reduced.

A medicine dispensing system includes canisters and packing assemblies to place specific doses of medicines into capsules. The system removes inert and filler ingredients to place only those active ingredients prescribed to the patient. The system includes a conveyor belt to move the capsules between canisters filled with the active ingredients. A dose is placed and packed into the capsules for each active ingredient. Thus, the number of capsules for a variety of medicines is reduced.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a platform for monitoring patient adherence to a medical regimen. Certain aspects of the present disclosure also proved various components that may help enable such a platform, such as a smart collar capable of detecting removal and/or insertion of objects from a container (such as a pill container). In some cases, a smart collar may include a first portion having sides adapted to guide objects toward an opening in the first portion sized to allow the objects to pass, at least one detector proximate the opening and responsive to removal of objects from the container as they pass through the opening in the first portion, and a processor configured to process a first signal generated by the detector to update a monitored count of objects in the container.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a platform for monitoring patient adherence to a medical regimen. Certain aspects of the present disclosure also proved various components that may help enable such a platform, such as a smart collar capable of detecting removal and/or insertion of objects from a container (such as a pill container). In some cases, a smart collar may include a first portion having sides adapted to guide objects toward an opening in the first portion sized to allow the objects to pass, at least one detector proximate the opening and responsive to removal of objects from the container as they pass through the opening in the first portion, and a processor configured to process a first signal generated by the detector to update a monitored count of objects in the container.

Embodiments are directed to apparatuses, methods and systems for tracking usage of an item. In one scenario, a microcontroller is configured to send a periodic signal over electrical traces that are distributed over an item to determine whether a change in electrical throughput has occurred in a trace. Upon determining that such a change has occurred, an indication is generated that describes the type of usage that occurred and the time at which the use occurred. An indication of the type of usage and the time of occurrence is then provided to specified recipients. Apparatuses for tracking such usage include a battery, a microprocessor, a transmitter and capsules for storing the controlled substances. Each capsule has an electrical trace extending through at least some of the capsule. The microprocessor is configured to determine, using the electrical traces, which capsules have been opened by identifying which traces have been broken.

A medicine container configured to hold one or more different medications. The container may include an orientation sensor to determine the orientation of the container. The container may also include one or more additional sensors to detect other physical characteristics about the container and/or medicine. The orientation of the container in combination with the information from the one or more additional sensors is used to determine an accurate indication of an amount of the medicine within the container and thus usage information. The container also includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting the information regarding the medicine to a remote location.

A medicine container configured to hold one or more different medications. The container may include an orientation sensor to determine the orientation of the container. The container may also include one or more additional sensors to detect other physical characteristics about the container and/or medicine. The orientation of the container in combination with the information from the one or more additional sensors is used to determine an accurate indication of an amount of the medicine within the container and thus usage information. The container also includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting the information regarding the medicine to a remote location.

A system enables management of dispensable units by supporting functions such as retrieval, scheduled distribution, analysis, and notifications. To this end, a dispensable retrieval mechanism may be programmed to carry out blind retrievals of dispensable units using a retrieval strategy with a predetermined sequence of retrieval attempts (e.g., fixed or varying two-dimensional retrieval patterns), which may be open loop or closed loop. Techniques may also include the identification of dispensable units through optical sensors and weight measurement devices that can detect, e.g., a texture, a shape, and a size of dispensable units. Such identification can be used to program retrieval attempts by a retrieval robot and in the formulation of the retrieval pattern. Additionally, networked notification systems for dispensable units can be used for updating rules or schedules related to the dispensable units, or alerting users and remote resources of any potential misuse or hazards of the dispensable units.

A speed sensor determines the velocity of an object. A first detector detects light emitted by a first emitter. The first detector includes multiple photodetectors connected in series. The photodetectors produce a current that is proportional to the amount of light incident to the photodetector. The first detector additionally includes a current-to-voltage converter and a threshold detector. The current-to-voltage converter converts the current produced by the photodetectors into a voltage and the threshold detector compares the voltage generated by the current-to-voltage converter with a threshold voltage. When an object passes in between the emitter and any of the photodetectors, the light incident to the photodetector is at least partially blocked, reducing the current produced by the photodetector. Any sufficient reduction in current that reduces the voltage generated by the current-to-voltage converter below the threshold of the threshold detector is quickly registered as an output signal of the threshold detector.

A blister packaging including a blister card including a plurality of flexible blisters; and a backing sheet including blister backing portions and backing securing portions, wherein when the backing securing portions are secured to the blister card, the blister backing portions are aligned to each blister forming a plurality of compartments adapted to store a medicament, and wherein the backing includes two or more conductive first leads affixed to the backing, two or more conductive second leads affixed to the backing, and a plurality of conductive zones, wherein each conductive zone electrically connects one of the first leads to one of the second leads, and wherein each blister backing portion includes a conductive zone.