A European-based company wants to make managing medication for chronic illnesses easier, by creating a wearable device that automatically collects data about usage, helping patients stay on track with their meds, providing instant feedback and eliminating errors in taking medication.
Amiko is an affordable, lightweight sensor-packed in a leaf-shaped sleeve that is specially designed to fit on five common types of medicine packaging.
It detects both motion and the angle of motion using its MEMS sensors, accelerometer and gyroscope. It tracks the medicine taken and sends information to a connected app available to patients and caregivers. No additional self-reporting, or other activities, are required. If someone doesn't have a smartphone, it comes with a small connected hub that lights or buzzes as additional reminders to take medication.
"We learned medication adherence is a huge global problem and thought there had to be a way to use advanced motion and weight change algorithms, dedicated high tech sensors and Bluetooth to devise a solution," said Duilio Macchi, president and co-founder, Amiko. "We created a wearable that automatically collects data about usage, helping patients stay on track with their meds, providing instant feedback and eliminating errors due to prescription timing and dosage."
The first of these devices to be launch is the Amiko inhaler. It manages and measures the actual medicine used, and also guides the user through the inhalation process. Amiko determines if the inhaler is held and loaded correctly and provides step-by-step real-time feedback as the medication is being inhaled, offering guidance regarding correct inhalation time, allowing proper intake of the medication.
Amiko's patented technology, called Sensenergy, is a proprietary algorithm that uses nine axis MEMS sensors to measure the energy released from the mechanical extraction of the medication from its packaging. Amiko fits most dry powder inhaler packaging, including all accuhalers, aerolizers, handihalers and turbuhalers, commonly used for asthma.
Amiko launched a IndieGoGo campaign to crowd-fund the final manufacturing costs of the wearable trackable device. They are looking to raise $50,000 by Dec. 7.
Units will be available for sale and distribution commercially in the second quarter of 2015 and will cost approximately $50.
The company said devices will be available later for blister packs, insulin pens, and pill bottles.
