Using Pillboxes to Understand Cognitive Decline in Seniors
Summary
In this article, we discuss how technology can be used to collect information about everyday behavior by instrumenting the artifacts that people interact with in everyday life. We introduce a $5 pillbox that has sensors, batteries, and hardware on one side, and a regular pillbox on the other side. We explain how this technology can help us understand cognitive decline in seniors and how to do it in a way that doesn’t affect how they perform their daily activities.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Collecting Information with Pillboxes
- Key Thing Behind the Technology
- Concrete Example
- Conclusion
Introduction
The technology we are discussing in this article is focused on understanding and assessing cognitive decline in seniors. We believe that by instrumenting the artifacts they use on a daily basis, we can collect information about their cognitive performance. We also want to ensure that the technology does not affect how they perform their daily activities.
Collecting Information with Pillboxes
We have developed a $5 pillbox that has sensors, batteries, and hardware on one side, and a regular pillbox on the other side. This technology is meant to help us collect two types of information: data that helps us understand and assess cognitive decline in seniors, and data that doesn’t affect how they perform their daily activities. We have identified three instrumental activities of daily living that we can sense relatively easily and that provide concrete value to our users.
Key Thing Behind the Technology
The key thing behind our technology is the quality of performance rather than the success of the activity. We believe that the quality of performance can exhibit changes much earlier than mistakes. For example, a senior may successfully take their medication but may have difficulty remembering what day of the week it is. Our pillbox has sensors that can capture this information and help us understand the quality of their performance.
Concrete Example
Let’s say you have an elderly parent who is having difficulty remembering what day of the week it is. Our pillbox can capture information about when they opened the pillbox and determine if they took their medication on the correct day. Additionally, our pillbox has sensors to detect when the door has been opened, when it has been turned over, and when the user is having physical difficulties.
Conclusion
Our $5 pillbox technology is a cost-effective way to collect information about cognitive decline in seniors. By instrumenting the artifacts they use on a daily basis, we can better understand the quality of their performance and detect changes earlier. This technology can help caregivers and loved ones provide better care for seniors and improve their quality of life.
