A granulated nutritional supplement dispensing machine extracts single-serving doses from a multi-serving supplements cartridge for delivery as a drinkable solution. A lead serving chamber is pierced so that its powered contents drain into a mixing cup together with a metered quantity of water from an integrated water tank. A vibrator unit assists drainage of the granulated materials from the lead serving chamber. The mixing cup is rotated at high speed to blend the water and supplements into a slurry. The supplements cartridge is indexed after (or before) use so that an unopened serving chamber is presented each time for extracting its supplements. This enables partially-used supplements cartridges to be used in the machine, as is conducive in multiple-user households. The supplements cartridge is configured with read-write data capability to indicate whether or not the contents of each serving chamber have been emptied.

An injectable medication tab used to track expiration dates has an informative tab, a release string, an adhesive liner, and a quick release fastener. The informative tab provides visually accessible information about a bottle to which the injectable medication tab is attached. An expiration information portion of the informative tab protrudes from the exterior surface of the bottle after being opened. The adhesive liner is superimposed onto a mounting surface of the informative tab and attaches the informative tab to the bottle. The quick release fastener is a coupling mechanism that connects between an edge of the informative tab and the release string. The release string forms a detachable connection holding the expiration information portion against the bottle until the bottle is opened. Once opened, the expiration information section to protrudes from the bottle until the expiration information is recorded and the medical information portion is adhered to the bottle.

An injectable medication tab used to track expiration dates has an informative tab, a release string, an adhesive liner, and a quick release fastener. The informative tab provides visually accessible information about a bottle to which the injectable medication tab is attached. An expiration information portion of the informative tab protrudes from the exterior surface of the bottle after being opened. The adhesive liner is superimposed onto a mounting surface of the informative tab and attaches the informative tab to the bottle. The quick release fastener is a coupling mechanism that connects between an edge of the informative tab and the release string. The release string forms a detachable connection holding the expiration information portion against the bottle until the bottle is opened. Once opened, the expiration information section to protrudes from the bottle until the expiration information is recorded and the medical information portion is adhered to the bottle.

A pill bottle top includes a top and a base engaged with the top and having first ratchet teeth. An indicator slide has a finger pad formed with an inwardly protruding indicator nose and leaf spring arms coupled to the finger pad and disposed intermediate the top and base. The leaf spring arms are formed with second ratchet teeth configured to engage first ratchet teeth on the base. The finger pad can be pressed against the leaf spring arms to disengage the second ratchet teeth from the first ratchet teeth and allow the indicator slide to slide relative to the top with the indicator nose higher than and alignable with time indicia on the top. The finger pad can be released to allow the second ratchet teeth to engage first ratchet teeth under material bias of the leaf spring arms and prevent the indicator slide from sliding.

A pill bottle top includes a top and a base engaged with the top and having first ratchet teeth. An indicator slide has a finger pad formed with an inwardly protruding indicator nose and leaf spring arms coupled to the finger pad and disposed intermediate the top and base. The leaf spring arms are formed with second ratchet teeth configured to engage first ratchet teeth on the base. The finger pad can be pressed against the leaf spring arms to disengage the second ratchet teeth from the first ratchet teeth and allow the indicator slide to slide relative to the top with the indicator nose higher than and alignable with time indicia on the top. The finger pad can be released to allow the second ratchet teeth to engage first ratchet teeth under material bias of the leaf spring arms and prevent the indicator slide from sliding.

The present disclosure enables apparatus and methods for tracking medications and/or product units via smart-packaging concepts. Embodiments include sensors that monitor the state of a blister-card package having an unpatterned lidding film by measuring the impedance of each dispensing region of the lidding film that defines a portion of a blister. In some embodiments, the impedance is measured via a plurality of contact points arranged on opposite sides of each dispensing region, where the contact points are resistively or capacitively coupled with the lidding film. In some embodiments, the impedance map of a measurement region on the blister card is derived via electrical impedance tomography or electrical resistance tomography, where the measurement region includes a plurality of dispensing regions.

The present disclosure enables apparatus and methods for tracking medications and/or product units via smart-packaging concepts. Embodiments include sensors that monitor the state of a blister-card package having an unpatterned lidding film by measuring the impedance of each dispensing region of the lidding film that defines a portion of a blister. In some embodiments, the impedance is measured via a plurality of contact points arranged on opposite sides of each dispensing region, where the contact points are resistively or capacitively coupled with the lidding film. In some embodiments, the impedance map of a measurement region on the blister card is derived via electrical impedance tomography or electrical resistance tomography, where the measurement region includes a plurality of dispensing regions.

A point of care device for securely dispensing medication includes an enclosure sized to contain medication containers, a holding element accessible from outside the enclosure to receive medication containers from the enclosure, a dispenser to dispense medication from the enclosure to the holding element, and a securable panel configured to provide access to the enclosure for retrieval or replenishment of the medication containers within the enclosure, and a computing device operable to control the dispenser to dispense medication to the holding element based on various conditions. Specifically, the point of care device can be configured to dispense medication based on detecting that an authorized user is accessing the device, based on a timer in conjunction with known medication regimen, or based on patient or physician demand, or based on biometric information concerning the user.

A modular smart packaging case comprising reversibly attachable electronics and detection modules is disclosed. The detection module includes a sensor array for monitoring the state of a blister pack containing a plurality of product units. The electronics module contains the high-value electronics required to read the sensors of the array, process the sensor output, and enable communications to and from the case. The electronics module and detection module are operatively coupled via a universal interface that enables the same electronics module to operate with a plurality of detection modules of different configurations. In some embodiments, the electronics module operatively couples with multiple detection modules.

A medication dispensing apparatus is provided herein along with computer-useable instructions embodied on a microcontroller for control of said medication dispensing apparatus. Instructions may be embodied on the microcontroller to control a dosing of medication via a coupled motor. The microcontroller controls rotation of the motor to line up a cavity with a dispensing port such that medication from a medication container (e.g., pill bottle) is dispensed via the dispensing apparatus.