The Thailand IC-Design Incubator (TIDI) unit at the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre is developing drug labels that will allow the manufacturer and/or doctor prescribing medication to add audio reminders and warnings to drug labels. Clearly it will help the blind as well as everyone else who is forgetful about taking their medication.
TIDI is now developing what it calls a speaking drug label, technology that integrates radio-frequency-identification (RFID) technology and voice recording to allow drug labels to talk to users. It will tell the name of the medicine and also give instructions on its use and information about it’s quality and possible side effects.
Chamnarn said the technology was developed to initially serve those who were visually impaired. “Once we finish the prototypes we will give them to the Assistive Technology Centre to test before developing them in mass volume for the blind,” said Chumnarn. “With this technology, the blind, for example, can take any medicine with no need to ask for help. Once they pick up the medicine, it will talk to them.”
This is a similar development to the SIMpill bottle reviewed earlier that sends SMS reminder messages to the user’s cell phone.
(hat tip: The Uber-Review and Gizmodo)
