Smart Medicine Reminder and Healthcare Assistance System

Abstract

The Smart Medicine Scheduling and Healthcare Assistant System is designed to improve patient medication ad- herence while providing timely assistance in case of emergencies. The system consists of a master-slave communication setup, whereaWiFi-enabledmasterunitmanagesandsyncsmedication schedules across multiple slave devices, ensuring that patientsare reminded to take their medicine at the right time. Themaster module communicates with the slave units via RS-485 connectivity, providing reliable and long-distance communication, ideal for healthcare facilities or homes with multiple patients. Inthisupdatedversion,thesystemutilizesamobilenotification system to alert patients and caregivers. When the reminder for medication is triggered, notifications are sent to the patient’s mobile phone, ensuring timely intake. If a patient fails to acknowledge the reminder within a set time frame, a misseddose alert is generated and sent to the caregiver or doctor. The system also features an emergency button that, when pressed, triggers an alert to the healthcare provider, notifying them ofthe patient’s urgent needs. Additionally,thesystemincludesaguidancefeature,providing patients with detailed information on how to take their medicine, including dosage, timing, and any special instructions. This helps to ensure proper medication management and reduces the riskof errors in drug administration. The ultimate goal of the system is to enhance medication compliance, reduce human error, and provide immediate support during emergencies.

Introduction

Summary:
The Smart Medicine Scheduling and Healthcare Assistant System is an IoT-enabled, microcontroller-based solution designed to improve medication adherence, especially for elderly and chronically ill patients. Using a master-slave architecture with ESP32 microcontrollers communicating via RS485 protocol, the system automates medication reminders, tracks dose adherence, and supports user interaction through visual (LCD/OLED) and auditory alerts.

Key Features:

• Central master controller distributes patient-specific medication schedules to multiple slave units.

• Slave units include real-time clocks, buzzers, displays, and buttons for “Medicine Taken,” “Help Request,” and “Dosage Information.”

• The system maintains local schedule storage and generates alerts on time, reducing missed or incorrect doses.

• Caregiver notifications and assistance requests enhance patient safety.

• Custom PCBs and battery backup improve portability and reliability.

• A web-based interface allows healthcare providers to enter and manage patient data.

Advantages over prior systems:

• Offline, reliable operation without cloud dependency via RS485 communication.

• Modular, scalable design suitable for hospitals and elder care facilities.

• Dual-mode interaction for both patients (via device) and remote caregivers.

Technical Highlights:

• Uses ESP32 microcontrollers with MAX485 transceivers for half-duplex serial communication.

• RTC modules ensure accurate timing for medication schedules.

• Buttons enable direct user input to confirm doses or request help.

• The system implements debounce delays and efficient memory use for stable operation.

Motivation:
To address challenges in medication non-adherence caused by forgetfulness, complex regimens, or lack of supervision, especially in low-connectivity or resource-limited settings.

Conclusion

The Smart Medicine Scheduling and Healthcare Assistant System provides a reliable and user-friendly solution to sup- porttimelymedicationintakeforpatients.Byintegrating Wi-Fi-enabled master-slave communication via RS-485 and featureslikeemergencyalertsandmedicationreminders, the system ensures enhanced patient care and scheduling accuracy. The inclusion of custom PCBs, modular ESP32 boards,andadedicatedpowersupplydesignmakesthesystem scalable, compact, and technically robust. This project notonly addresses the problem of missed or incorrect medication intakebutalsooffersapracticalhealthcareassistanceplatform suitable for clinics, hospitals, and home care environments.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. B. N. Shinde , Omkar Tondare, Siddhesh Patil , Om Bankar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.