NEED
After researching the market for suitable pill timers, a start-up company
decided to produce a multi-prescription pill timer that could remind the owner
to take different pills at different times of the day. The design had to ensure
compliance with a physician's treatment program, keep track of up to 20
different dosage times a day, and remind the owner of other important, routinely
scheduled activities.
The client required a very low cost design that was easily produceable in the
United States using robotic assembly equipment to eliminate high labor costs.
The design also had to be easily programmed by elderly patients without
decreasing the number of features that could be included.
A demonstration unit was initially required to raise funds for the production
of the product. The design also required masking a custom part, and it had to be
comprehensively tested by the targeted end users before acquiring expensive
tooling.
SOLUTION
Mitsi used a CMOS 4-bit microcomputer with built-in display drivers for an
LCD display. Program development was done on a personal computer. An IBM
PC-based program was developed to prove the new concept of using just a Pill,
Time, and Set button for all functions. The button-press sequences were proven
before the final program was developed.
The PC was then used to drive an in-circuit emulator. Four-bit assembly
language code was developed and tested exhaustively using the emulator and the
LCD display.
RESULTS
The system was then shown to retailers and doctors. Minor changes were then
made to the code based on their inputs. The code was then released for masking
into the final, low-cost part. The design is now in volume production. The cost
of the unit, including the case and batteries, is under $10 in 10k piece volume.
