Medicine Verification Device Using Image Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pharmacies lack an electronic system to accurately verify that dispensed medicines match prescriptions, leading to potential human errors, especially in high-pressure environments like large pharmacies near university hospitals, which can result in fatal mistakes with injections.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device captures prescription information through imaging, determines the total quantity and packaging of medicines, and verifies the medicine's active ingredients, expiration dates, and packaging types to ensure accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pharmacists manually inspect medicines to ensure accuracy, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical inspection process with an automated image recognition system using deep learning neural networks. The system captures images of medicine packaging and automatically identifies medicine information, substituting the pharmacist's visual inspection with an automated electronic system that processes information faster and more consistently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (images) of the medicine packaging and processes these copies through image recognition algorithms. Instead of directly handling and inspecting physical medicines, the system works with visual representations, enabling automated verification without physical manipulation delays.
2Measurement precision
If pharmacists carefully check medicine details, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with automated image recognition technology. The system captures images of medicine packaging and uses deep learning models to extract and verify medicine information automatically, achieving high measurement precision without requiring the pharmacist's time-consuming manual checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary image capture and processing when the pharmacist approaches the medicine, automatically extracting and verifying information before the pharmacist needs to make the final verification decision. This preliminary automated action reduces the time the pharmacist needs to spend on manual inspection.
3Reliability
If pharmacists verify medicine information manually, then reliability is improved, but device complexity decreases (no electronic system)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary electronic verification system that operates between the pharmacist and the medicine verification process. The system includes image capture devices, databases storing medicine information, and processing units that automatically match prescribed medicines with actual medicines, serving as a mediator that enhances reliability without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic verification system is designed to handle multiple functions: capturing images of medicine packaging, extracting information from various packaging types, verifying against prescription data, and providing guidance. This multi-functional approach consolidates several verification tasks into a single system, managing complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device according to one embodiment may, on the basis of photographing a prescription, obtain prescription information. The electronic device may, on the basis of photographing a medicine, determine whether the medicine matches the prescription information.