IoT biometric pill bottle cap wins innovation contest
A bottle cap for medications secured with fingerprint biometrics has won a competition for pharmaceutical packaging. The Call4Ideas contest called for child-resistant closure systems that incorporated biometrics and was run by Bormioli Pharma and Desall.com.
The Turn-It project uses biometric fingerprint authentication to prevent anyone except the intended patient from accessing the medication inside. The project exceeds the need for a child-resistant closure system.
The project was created by an industrial design team in Lima, Peru. Team members included Micaela Alvarado Eslava, Irvin Tolentino and Cèsar Augusto Lòpez Torres Chicoma.
The cap integrates biometric authentication through a sensor powered by a rechargeable battery. The patient can enroll their fingerprint directly on the “ID-Cap” with the same sensor. It also connects to smartphones and can be used to monitor treatment.
Patients can also opt instead to use biometrics on their linked smartphone to authenticate and open their pill bottle. Using a fingerprint sensor built into the unit allows for the pill bottle to be opened with or without an internet connection, but by connecting to a smartphone, users could also be given the option to use other modalities like face biometrics to open the bottle.
By allowing only authorized users to access the drug, the system can reduce risks of children or adults accidentally taking the medication. It can also remind a user if they forget to take their medication.
The ID-Cap can be especially beneficial for high value drugs that patients need exclusive access to such as opioids, antidepressants, psychotropics, and anti-cancer drugs, Federico Piutti, innovation manager at Bormioli Pharma, told Packaging Digest.
The Call4Ideas contest was created to help uncover solutions that improve safety and security, as well as empower patients by disclosing information on conditions and treatments. Preference was given to projects that could link the item to electronic devices.
“At a time when the Internet of Things is becoming more and more pervasive in our lives, even for everyday objects, we believe that solutions like this can generate real interest in the market,” says Piutti in a company announcement.
Bormioli Pharma is still in the early stages of concept definition and will reveal the cost of the device once all features of the cap are established. The prototype for the cap was unveiled in late October at the CPHI Barcelona event, which is a global trade show for the drug supply chain.
The next Call4Ideas will call for use cases of augmented reality in pharmaceutical packaging.
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