Naresuan University inventions makes life easier for elderly

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Naresuan University inventions makes life easier for elderly

By Mongkolchaowarat Tangmangmee 
The Nation

 

 

A lecturer and senior students at Phitsanulok’s Naresuan University have invented an automatic medicine-dispensing device for use at home that promises to make life easier for elderly persons with chronic illnesses.

 

Sumet Hemawatanachai of the school’s Faculty of Engineering Research Unit for Precision and Medical Engineering Technology and his fourth-year students Akarawin Khrongchai, Thana Semaram and Suparp Mayang last week unveiled the Meddi. 

 

 

The device can be programmed via a phone application to dispense different types of medicine at different times in specific doses.

 

Sumet believes it will be particularly helpful to people who are forgetful. 

 

Up to eight containers for different types of medicine can be attached and the timer can be set for up to three individuals.

When medicine is dispensed, the machine emits a sound and visual alert. 

 

The inventors plan further improvements to make it more efficient.

 

Sumet said the Meddi, for which a patent is pending, cost only Bt12,000 to make, far less than the Bt30,000-Bt40,000 cost of imported devices with similar functions.

 

As the “NU SmartBoy” team, the lecturer and students entered the Meddi in a Digital Economy Promotion Agency competition earlier this year and won the Young Innovator Award, earning Bt300,000 in cash and a five-day trip to Singapore.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30333208

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-05

[Kasset Tak]

The imported machines are cheaper... but with the 300% import tax, those get more expensive than this reversed engineered machine.

I judged an engineering competition for vocational students yesterday. 5 groups (!!!) that had entered the competition had made portable airconditioners using a bucket (or styrofoam box), a fan and then added ice to their container. This YouTube clip is 4 years old...

 

[nausea]

Thailand - "hub" of "inventions".

[HarrySeaman]

 

This is even cheaper and takes up a lot less counter space.

 

[yellowboat]

The idea is good, but the LCD is too small for old people.   They should use the same screens that the Galaxy phones use.  They are inexpensive due to the masses being made.