An IoT-Based Medicine Dispenser Machine with Adherence Tracking

Abstract

This paper presents an IoT-based medicine dispenser that automates medication reminders, dispensing and adherence 
tracking. A circular container divided into three compartments holds different medicines, and dispensing times are 
set from a mobile application or web panel. At each scheduled time the system sounds a buzzer to remind the user. 
The user must place a hand below the dispenser to confirm they are ready, which an infrared sensor detects; only then 
does a stepper motor rotate the container to the correct compartment and a servo motor release the tablet. Requiring 
this confirmation is the design decision that separates the system from a reminder device: a tablet released into an 
empty tray tells nobody whether it was taken, whereas a tablet released only after a hand is detected produces a record 
of an actual interaction. If no hand appears within the confirmation window, the dose is logged as missed and an alert 
is sent to the application, so a caregiver can act on it remotely. Schedules and dispensing records are held in Firebase 
Firestore, giving real-time synchronization between the device and the application, and a seven-day record of 
consumption supports adherence tracking. The system is built on an ESP32 microcontroller and is intended for elderly 
patients, people managing chronic conditions, and the caregivers who support them.