MedLIS - Talking Medicines propose an interactive electronic label that allows the pharmacist to put on the medicine box with the necessary information for its correct use and that the user can hear when approaching his mobile phone.
It is also possible to share directions from the healthcare professional and mark how much time is left for the next dose. The aim is to contribute to the autonomy and better management of self-administration, particularly among the most vulnerable people, such as those with visual impairments or lower literacy rates, but also among young people who are so used to interaction and speed.
The project developed by students and teachers of the Degree in Biomedical Engineering of the Institute of Engineering of Porto (ISEP) won the João Cordeiro 2019 Prize, promoted by the National Association of Pharmacies (ANF).
This award distinguishes original research in health intervention and knowledge that promotes innovation and the development of pharmacies. The result was announced on October 19th, in Lisbon.
The team was awarded € 20,000 to support the development and implementation of the project. The idea emerged as part of a degree course, where students identify gaps in health, and impact on society, and propose solutions to alleviate these problems.
“It is extremely important for the education of our students to know that the projects they develop can go beyond the classroom and increase the quality of life for countless people, which gives them an added sense of accomplishment. Yes, we are training engineers, but we want them to be soulful engineers, attentive to the society around them, ”says Sara Reis, a professor at ISEP and head of MedLIS.
The team will now focus on the development of software that allows real-time programming of the labels to be placed on the medicine box and then the implementation on pharmacies in Porto.
