Edible Medicament Containers with Tactile Indicia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face challenges in accessing and distinguishing medication information, especially when removing pills from original containers, and visually impaired individuals struggle to read or identify medication labels, leading to potential misuse or confusion.
Innovation Solution
A 3D object printing system that produces edible medicament containers with identifying indicia at the dispensing site, using a computer interface and a 3D printer to create containers with specific shapes and indicia indicating dosage times, which can be made from edible materials like gelatin or chocolate, and adapted for visually impaired users with Braille or tactile features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If consumers remove pills from the original container for convenience, then portability is improved, but access to label information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the medication information into individual portions by printing dosage instructions directly on each pill or container. This segmentation ensures that each unit carries its own identifying information, so when pills are removed from the original container, the information travels with each individual pill rather than being lost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of the label information by printing it directly on each pill or container. Instead of having a single master label on the original container, the information is copied onto multiple individual units, ensuring that each pill carries the necessary identification and dosage instructions independently.
2Loss of information
If visually impaired consumers rely on printed labels, then information accessibility is improved, but they face difficulty reading the labels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color coding to differentiate between various medications and dosage instructions. By assigning specific colors to different drug types, frequencies, or dosages, visually impaired consumers can distinguish between medications through color perception, making the information more accessible without relying solely on printed text.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric or distinctive printing patterns on pills that can be detected through tactile means or visual pattern recognition. These unique patterns provide additional identification beyond standard printed text, helping visually impaired consumers distinguish between different medications through touch or visual acuity.
3Reliability
If consumers take multiple medications from different containers, then treatment completeness is improved, but ability to distinguish medications is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies distinct color codes to different medications, allowing consumers to quickly distinguish between various drugs when taking multiple medications. Each medication type or dosage frequency is associated with a specific color, enabling visual differentiation without requiring careful reading of printed labels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual or tactile properties to different parts of the medication packaging or to different medications themselves. By giving each medication unique local characteristics such as color, pattern, or texture, consumers can easily distinguish between multiple medications and ensure they are taking the correct ones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures that medication information is readily accessible and distinguishable, reducing the risk of misuse and improving convenience for consumers, particularly visually impaired individuals, by providing edible containers with clear and customizable dosage information.
Implementation Method 1
a three-dimensional (3D) object printer operatively connected to the computer to receive container configuration data and data corresponding to time for taking doses of the medicament, the 3D object printer operating with reference to the container configuration data and the data corresponding to time for taking doses of the medicament to form at least one container with edible material
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method enables production of medicament containers with edible material at a site for dispensing medicaments. The containers are formed in shapes that indicate the contents of the containers and can be formed with indicia that indicate the times for taking the medicaments. Additionally, the containers can be formed with raised protuberances that provide information regarding the medicaments in the containers. In one embodiment, the raised protuberances are in Braille.