Remote-Controlled Liquid Dispenser for Abuse-Resistant Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid pharmaceutical dispensers lack remote control capabilities and fail to prevent improper use of medicaments, particularly for substances like methadone, necessitating improved precision and secure, centralized management.
Innovation Solution
A precision dispenser with contactless card/tag readers, security keyboards, recognition readers, and GPS detection, interfaced with a Single Board Computer (SBC) for remote data management, ensuring secure and precise medicament dispensing through a centralized system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the patient can manually operate the dispenser, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of abuse and unauthorized access increases
Solution Approach 1:
A remote control unit acts as an intermediary between the user and the dispenser. This mediator transmits control signals wirelessly to the dispenser, allowing the user to operate the device without physically accessing it. The intermediary mechanism enables easy operation through remote interfaces while preventing abuse by eliminating direct physical access to the dispenser's internal components and medication reservoir.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with wireless electronic control. Instead of requiring physical manipulation of buttons, dials, or switches on the dispenser, the system uses wireless communication (radio frequency or other wireless protocols) to transmit control signals. This substitution maintains ease of operation through intuitive remote interfaces while preventing abuse by removing the mechanical access points that could be exploited.
2Reliability
If the dispenser is placed in a secure location, then the reliability against abuse is improved, but the ease of access for legitimate use worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The remote control unit serves as a mediator that bridges the gap between secure placement and easy access. Users can operate the dispenser from a distance using the remote control, eliminating the need to physically approach or access the secured dispenser. This maintains reliability by keeping the dispenser in a secure, controlled location while preserving ease of operation through wireless remote access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the need for physical access with wireless electronic control. The dispenser can be securely mounted in locations that are difficult to access physically, yet users can operate it conveniently from anywhere in the coverage area using the remote control. This substitution of mechanical access with wireless communication resolves the contradiction between security and accessibility.
3Reliability
If monitoring and alarm systems are added, then the reliability against abuse is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring and alarm functions are merged with the existing remote control system. The same wireless communication infrastructure used for control is also used for monitoring and alarm notifications. Sensors, microcontrollers, and communication modules are integrated into the existing dispenser design, combining multiple functions into a unified system rather than adding separate standalone systems. This merging approach improves reliability through comprehensive monitoring while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The remote control unit and dispenser system are designed with multi-functionality, serving both control and monitoring purposes. The wireless communication system handles multiple tasks: transmitting control signals, receiving status information, and sending alarm notifications. The microcontroller and sensor systems perform multiple functions including operation control, usage monitoring, and security detection. This universal design improves reliability through comprehensive monitoring capabilities while avoiding the complexity increase that would result from separate dedicated systems for each function.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
There is described a precision dispenser for liquids, in particular medications, which allows the remote control of all operations associated with dispensing the medication to the patient so as to avoid abuses.