NFC Energy Harvesting for Medication Temperature Excursion Logging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS) are inadequate in ensuring biologic medications are stored within the recommended temperature range, leading to ineffective therapeutic responses and poor adherence due to injection site pain.
Innovation Solution
An energy harvesting substance event monitoring system (EHSEMS) that uses NFC technology to harvest energy and monitor temperature excursions of medicaments in delivery devices, providing accurate adherence data and minimizing injection pain by ensuring the medicament is at optimal temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If biologic medications are stored at 2-8°C, then the medication stability is improved, but injection pain increases due to cold temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary warming of the biologic medication from 2-8°C to room temperature (20-25°C) before administration. The temperature sensor detects when the medication reaches the target temperature range, and the system alerts the user to warm the medication 30-45 minutes before injection, thereby eliminating injection pain while maintaining medication stability.
2Loss of information
If current MEMS are used to monitor medication events, then some adherence data is collected, but accurate temperature monitoring and excursion detection are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical/battery-powered MEMS with an energy harvesting system that uses NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. The NFC reader wirelessly transmits energy to power the temperature sensor and microcontroller, enabling continuous accurate temperature monitoring without batteries. The system precisely detects temperature excursions and communicates adherence data to external devices.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If energy harvesting is implemented to power the monitoring system, then battery replacement is eliminated, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NFC antenna serves multiple functions: it acts as both the energy harvesting receiver (powering the temperature sensor and microcontroller) and the communication interface (transmitting temperature data and adherence information to external NFC readers). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate power and communication systems, reducing overall device complexity while enabling indefinite operational duration.
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 EHSEMS effectively monitors temperature excursions and adherence, ensuring biologic medications are stored and administered optimally, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy and patient adherence.
Implementation Method 1
an NFC antenna configured to harvest energy
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus (800), including: an energy harvesting device (102, 804) configured to harvest energy and to convey the harvested energy; a communication device (102, 806); circuitry (104) configured to be powered by the harvested energy and to be in data communication with the communication device; an unpowered indicator (110) configured to exhibit an excursion indicator only when a temperature excursion of a substance (808) has occurred; and a registration sensor (112) configured to be powered by the harvested energy and when so powered and when the excursion indicator is present, to generate a registration of the excursion indicator. When powered by the harvested energy the circuitry is configured to transmit data comprising the registration of the excursion indicator via the communication device.