Suitability State Decision Apparatus for Medicine Assessment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems lack the capability to determine whether a medicine is suitable for a target, such as a person or animal, which is essential for effective medication management.

Innovation Solution

A suitability state decision apparatus and method that acquires an image of the target taking the medicine and generates suitability state information, including comfort levels and mental reactions, to assess the medicine's suitability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If medication management systems record image data and medication information, then evidence of medication intake is improved, but the capability to determine medicine suitability for the target remains insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevidence of medication intakeVSAvoidmedicine suitability assessment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The image processing unit enables the medication management system to perform multiple functions: not only recording evidence of medication intake but also analyzing facial expressions and determining medicine suitability, making the system more versatile without adding separate dedicated devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces suitability state information as an intermediary assessment that bridges the gap between simple medication recording and comprehensive medical decision-making, providing actionable insights about medicine-target compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If image data is captured and processed to assess medicine suitability, then decision-making capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedicine suitability assessmentVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image processing unit is integrated into the existing medication management system, merging the functions of image capture, processing, and suitability assessment into a single unified system rather than adding separate complex subsystems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically captures images, processes them through the image processing unit, and generates suitability state information without requiring external intervention or complex manual analysis procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20230404454A1Suitability state decision apparatus, suitability state decision method, and non-transoitpory computer-readble medium

Publication Date: 2023.12.21 NEC CORP

AI summary

For supporting a decision whether a medicine is suitable for a target, a suitability state decision apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a decision unit. The acquisition unit acquires a first image being an image when a target takes a medicine. The decision unit generates, by using the first image, suitability state information indicating a suitability state of the target relating to the medicine. The suitability state information includes, for example, at least one of information indicating whether the target feels comfortable to take the medicine and information indicating whether the target feels reluctant to take the medicine.