Pill Dispenser

thingiverse

Pill Dispenser for up to 20 doses. This device uses a NodeMCU (ESP-12), running in C++ mode, which utilizes the ESP8266 as its main processor. This affordable board can operate a web server, allowing users to set dose times and enabling internet connection for future time synchronization purposes. Since my application does not require precise timing, dosing starts at different times each day. The device's movement is facilitated by a cheap 28BYJ 5VDC stepper motor and an ULN2003 stepper driver, accompanied by an optical sensor for accurate positioning. The carrier wheel features a special cylinder with precisely spaced markings. A 0.96" I2C 128X64 monochromatic OLED display shows immediate data. I utilize three parallel 18650 scrap laptop batteries and a TP4056/micro USB charger (as seen in the photo), which can be replaced by another 3.7V+ source connected to NodeMCU's Vin. While not necessary, these batteries ensure the device operates for longer than five days without recharging, with the display always on. Control is achieved through the web server as well as a single button and display. The button, measuring approximately 12mm in diameter, requires easy pressability; I had to replace it due to its initial design. The display shows the dose number, sequence number for each day, and time until the next dose. A short button press navigates to the next dose in the daily sequence, primarily to accommodate individuals with irregular sleep patterns. A five-second button press executes a full deploy and returns the device to its zero position. Pressing the button for 30 seconds restarts network configuration. The device also supports OTA uploads over Wi-Fi. Dose timing is controlled by a sequence of minutes (with zero indicating a wait for button press). For example, the following sequence: 0,120,1,0,1,120,120,120,120,120 represents the schedule between 16:00-18:00. Pressing the button around 18:00 releases pill number one at position one, followed by subsequent releases at specified times. The device's source code for NodeMCU (ESP8266) is available in this repository: https://bitbucket.org/sopak/pill-dispenser. I will upload the source code and schema in future updates. Prototype photos have been included; however, a previous prototype experienced issues with its charger, resulting in it being hot-glued to the top.