Design and Development of a Pill Dispenser: Prototype Assembly, Electronic and Mechanical Hardware

The gradual ageing of the global population has introduced new challenges to healthcare, creating the opportunity to develop new products that might aid the elderly in independently managing their daily health necessities. In this research project, the proposal is the development of a device that combines an automatic pill dispenser with the smart capabilities of modern devices, such as a virtual assistant, remote management capabilities, video calls, among others. This article pertains to the third and final phase of early development of this product, focusing on the CAD modelling, 3D printing, assembly and configuration of electronic and mechanical hardware, prototype assembly, as well as preliminary tests of the pill dispensing mechanism. From this process we were able to identify some shortcomings of the design, a credit to the benefits of rapid prototyping, and the possible corrections to be implemented in future iterations.