Students develop medicine-dispensing device

Dipender Manta

The Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, has developed medicine dispensing devices to help increase patient adherence in northern India. According to a survey by the IIT-Mandi, medication non-adherence is a pressing issue in northern India. This problem causes many deaths and allows communicable diseases to spread.

The goal of the project was to determine if an automatic medicine dispensing device could be used to help improve non-adherence among patients in the state. The students of the IIT-Mandi had conducted interviews and surveys of doctors, pharmacists, caregivers, and patients and established that non-adherence is a serious issue.

During the survey, the IIT team had observed that a majority of stakeholders showed interest in the device and believed that it would increase adherence. Utilising a cycle of design and revision, the team of students has created a prototype to meet the needs of stakeholders.

Dr Vishal Chauhan of the IIT-Mandi said, “Medication non-adherence is very complex, we believe our design can help patients to remain independent while improving their medication routines.”

He said during the survey it was found that medication adherence is an issue in the state. The team presented the idea of an automatic medication dispenser to doctors, patients, and caregivers.

“While 91 per cent of the interviewed doctors say that a device can help patients adhere to a prescribed medication routine, while 78 per cent of the patients surveyed say they will be interested in using a medicine dispensing device. Around 80 per cent of caregivers interviewed say they will utilise the device to help the individual taking medication on a routine basis” he added.

The device was made with ease-of-use in mind. After the medicine schedule is programmed into the device via a keypad and the medicine has been loaded into easy-to-fill trays, the device automates the entire process of dispensing, providing alarms, and emergency and refill notifications.

He said the authority was working to develop advanced device in the latest technology for the use of common people.

Catalyst startup programme from Feb 7

The IIT-Mandi Catalyst, the first technology business incubator of Himachal Pradesh, at the Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, is all set to launch its first startup batch of 2019 from February 7, 2019. The programme will help the startups to convert their ideas into viable businesses.

The first phase of the incubation programme will run for three months during which, startups will get funding support of up to Rs 1.5 lakh, in addition to mentoring, networking and training.

A total of 12 startups from different sectors such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, waste management, agrotech, renewable energy and online services have been shortlisted for the programme. Five out of these 12 teams are from Himachal. The teams will relocate and work from co-working space of Catalyst in Mandav Complex in Mandi town where they will be provided hostel facility and office space for the next three months.