Smart Medication Reminder and Automatic Pill Dispenser

Problem statement

Elderly patients or those on long-term medication may forget to take pills at the correct time or take the wrong dosage. This can reduce treatment effectiveness or cause overdose. Family members and caregivers may not always be present to remind them. An automated system is required to dispense correct doses on time and notify both the patient and caregivers.

Abstract

This project builds a smart medication dispenser that stores tablets in multiple compartments and releases the correct dose at preprogrammed times. An RTC (Real-Time Clock) module keeps track of time. When it is time for a specific dose, the microcontroller rotates a carousel or opens a compartment using a servo motor, triggers a buzzer and optionally sends a notification via Wi-Fi or SMS. Missed doses can be logged, and caregivers can remotely monitor adherence through a simple app or dashboard.

Components required

• Microcontroller (ESP32 / Arduino + Wi-Fi module)
• RTC module (DS3231 / DS1307)
• Servo motor or stepper motor with pill carousel mechanism
• Buzzer and status LEDs
• Push buttons for user acknowledgement
• Wi-Fi connectivity or GSM module (optional)
• Mobile app or web dashboard (optional)

Block diagram

Working

The caregiver or patient programs the medication schedule (times and compartments) into the device. The RTC keeps accurate time and periodically updates the microcontroller. When the current time matches a scheduled dose, the controller rotates a pill carousel or opens a compartment using a servo or stepper motor, making the pills accessible. A buzzer and LED are activated to alert the patient. If configured, the device also sends a notification to a mobile app or via SMS. The patient can press an acknowledgement button after taking the dose; if no acknowledgement is received within a set window, the system logs a missed dose and may escalate the alert to caregivers.

Applications

• Elderly care and home healthcare
• Chronic disease medication adherence
• Hospitals and nursing homes
• Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring setups