Ben Heck's Pill-Minder 2000

[@KelvinSmoke]

...I miss the Printing, Routing, and Lasering that really drew me into this show

[@JamesCoyle95]

I'm sure you could make a much more reliable and user friendly product which actually dispenses the pills and knows there are pills in there as it hasn't dispensed them yet.

[@PimpTwzt]

Honestly I think this could have been a lot better if more simpler by using switches in each pill cavity so that the only way to turn off the alarm or confirm the pill was taken would be by opening the lid of each day of the week.

[@lillydoye7418]

I thought the exact same thing. Microswitches seem like the simplest option, but perhaps for mass production a single load cell could be cheaper than 14 switches.

[@xKatjaxPurrsx]

No way my elderlies would be able to make sense of that interface.

[@maker_karen1785]

+xKatjaxPurrsx That's why you need a young sprite to set it up for you. Or we could just make the interface easier. ;)

[@tiporari]

+theHeckwithKaren A simple door switch (like a reed switch and a tiny magnet) to detect opening would be an easier and more reliable way to assume a pill has been taken.

[@uselessDM]

+xKatjaxPurrsx Probably could work if it were connected to the internet and the doctor (or whoever) could set the timers, so the elderly person doesn't have to do it.

[@nrdesign1991]

No doctor would be able to take the time for each and every patient, they have so much to do these days anyway.

[@KhanGarth]

seems like there would be an easier way to remind someone to take their pills, like, oh i dont know, an alarm on their phone.

[@playingwithdata]

I'm not convinced by the weight idea. It's an nice concept but introduces faff and seems very prone to failures in use. If you wanted some sort of automated "I think they took their pills so I won't alarm" it seems to me that detecting the section lids being opened and closed would be far easier. TBH I don't think even that is necessary. If you can trust the person to understand the alarm and take their pills then they can be trusted to press a button by the section to cancel the alarm. If you can't trust them to do that then the whole deal is off anyway.

[@Phil659]

I've become a full supporter of "Where are my Dragons??" keep up the great projects!!

[@CultoftheInsane]

I really enjoyed this episode. I really like it when you do assist technology. Here is an honest critiques of this idea. Honestly this product isn't very easy to use, so I could imagine an older person just getting more frustrated with the menu system and not loading it correctly. It's akin to your grandmother wanting to take more pictures of things, so you buy her a touchscreen digital camera, expecting her to offload the pictures onto her computer and send them to people easily. Sometimes Technology is more trouble than it is worth. I understand if this is used by a home-nurse to load pills for patients, but then again they could just look at the pill box and confirm that the patient is taking the correct pills. Otherwise, great execution... Next up is a sink detector to make sure they don't just pour the suckers our every day.

[@nrdesign1991]

The LCD seems to use one of the 40 bit custom character slots to drive the whole 7-segment and addor section. That's quite a clever way to make use of the driver chip. By loading a custom character into the 8th position of the 2nd line memory, and then changing the custom character, you can drive each and every segment. What you discovered was the character symbols fixed in memory being loaded into this "special" configuration instead of the regular 5x8 pixel matrix.

[@lasersbee]

3:34 Some patients only take 1 pill a day and forget..... Not all pills are the same size or weight. Some are quite large and some are really small. Much larger than a Tic-Tac and much smaller than a Tic-Tac.

[@loganlowe2546]

Thanks guys! :D I just had a kidney transplant a few months ago and have some really important pills to take. I've already forgot a few doses, and the doctor recommended I get some kind of reminder. Now I've got this awesome contraption reminding me when to take my pills and if I forgot to. Thank you so much for making this video!

[@jagardina]

Felix's eyebrows at 4:37.

[@Nismor2]

Hey Ben, with photos available of the Nintendo Playstation, can you create a Nintendo Playstation with a Nintendo Snes and playstation? it would be a great build.

[@AlexBowenPrime]

That moment of sadness when you realize the theme from Rooster Teeth's "On The Spot" is just stock music

[@bokkenka]

Seems like a little overkill... Just put the pillbox on a normally-open button. When the box is lifted, the button will close and signal the micro-controller. If it doesn't receive a click at the right times of the day, it lights up a warning LED.

[@AngelLuisTrinidad]

a Wi-Fi signal activated by the alarm mechanism, to the TV, that would play some kind of announcement would had been awesome.

[@rogeroma1675]

Nice build, I think the boxes should not be accessible if not right day is triggered!

[@SuperHamsterGaming]

Needs a cell phone module so it can text you in case you leave home without taking your pills. With old people it might be best to call them and play a message. They can't do all that fancy texting sometimes.

[@_.-.]

Dr Mario becomes really interesting in VS mode or when you are trying to sanitize de jar without any residue (no leftover pills or viruses)

[@DiyintheGhetto]

Hey Ben this is a awesome cool project thanks for making it. I had one thought that might help is to add a 6 axis gyroscope to it so if they are picking it up it doesn't freak out the scale maybe? Or maybe can disable it if the off by 5 degrees or more.

[@felixdietzCGN]

and every time a fly lands on the box youll get a message "grandma added a pill again"

[@xKatjaxPurrsx]

It rubs the pill on it's skin or it gets the hose again!

[@soccer7901]

ahh, the pill load process is so tedious tho. The program should just constantly check if the weight has increased, decreased or is constant and make decisions depending on that. Therefore a person has to just drop the pills in the box and that is it.

[@SuperYtviewer]

Since you are using weight, code a routine to allow the user to load the dispenser for a complete week, then press the "load" button to set the system to cycle through each pill chamber and record the weight and store that data. Then go to "dispense" mode for the daily use. Allow for a user to run the "setup/load" routine any time for changes in pill amounts/sizes/quantity. This would make life infinitely easier for the care giver to manage the device. - Just a thought.

[@KuraIthys]

There's only a single load cell, so if I'm understanding your suggsstion correctly, it's impossible. Pills have to be loaded 1 batch at a time because you can only get total weight, not weight per compartment.

[@SuperYtviewer]

Ahh - so the pill count must be the same every day. Forgive me - I didn't catch that. Parents/Grand parents have variations for daily counts/pills.

[@bartz0rt928]

Idea for the Jumanji game: when you get the hunter, the game posts a "hitman wanted" ad on craigslist.

Was I the only one to immediately say "Nope." when Ben said "we could use the load", thinking it wouldn't be sensitive enough / has too much noise.

[@Coyote.five.0]

you should have more subscribers this channel has infinite potential to grow. i support this channel every time ypu upload something.

[@Tom_____5]

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES BEN!

[@pratherat]

You could have pointed the LEDs inward at the pillbox to illuminate the appropriate compartment.

[@couragestats8556]

Weight is cool but unnecessary. Maybe add a sensor for turning it upside down because no one is going to pull the pills out of those slots with tweezers.

[@RimWulf]

+The Ben Heck Show I'd say an IR sensor, or switch would have worked better defect the opening of the door on that day especially if the container if going to have something on it or placed in a drawer. sensors for each column checking for obstruction like a pill but ignoring the closed door.

[@DogRox]

killer project :-) nice job! You know it's funny? When you said old people will be watching Matlock, the show is actually on my TV yet this moment while I'm watching your video hehehe what a coincidence now it makes me feel like I'm old hehe

[@1holy1holy1]

"Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?"... 16:23 Nice work on the Pill Minder, Ben! I must agree with some of the other comments that older folks may be intimidated by the interface, but heck that's what kids are for! Maybe the Pill Minder 9000 could be a portable version for people who can't remember to take their Tic Tac's before a date night?

[@jase_allen]

Um.... Isn't it just simpler to program an alarm on your phone or an electronic timer?

[@kfh13]

Why not using transparent pill box and ir or color reflective sensor under each day? For better performance doors could be covered with aluminium foil.

[@omysan]

why not use 24h ...would have been easier , would't it have?

[@AndrewMalkin]

Would have been way easier to just check to see if each compartment had been opened.

[@AndyJohnson3leftturns]

For the young folks with medications, I would have gone Raspberry Pi/Particle Photon etc with an SMS reminder. That's cool. Thanks Ben & Team!

[@180Styles]

Hey Ben and friends I've been watching your series for 3years but this is my first time messaging you... I've seen so many awesome build and tech designs I've never had a compliant you've always had a great series but there is one thing I've never seen that I'd love to see a build for... I'm currently a DJ looking for a way to get an awesome synthesizer to add some flair to my sets... I like keyboard buttons on vsts but the current synths that are on the market are so expensive can you build one that has keyboard built in with a midi plugin function to be able to use sounds for any vst instruments on a laptop or maybe a simple vst controller... that you don't need a laptop to plug into you can just plug in a flash drive and control your vst with this controller you can build... Please Please Please build this I'd pay $300 for a keyboard midi synthesizer thanks for reading this hope it gets to you...

[@tkben85]

What about a pill dispenser with an alarm? Drop the pills with a push of a button and switch off the alarm?

[@thepokemonguy9796]

Does anyone know where I could find the schematics for this and a project list?

[@thepokemonguy9796]

Sorry, *product list

[@TimothyCarter]

Pill-minder 9000 is the "new and improved" version

[@rileyphillip]

Couldn't you have made it more accurate by putting a second scale on the other side of the box? Thanks Ben! Somehow you manage to take an episode I thought I'd have no interest in and make it interesting enough to keep me watching.

[@theblankyblankness]

i love the vids. what are some good beginner projects.

[@PatFarrellKTM]

No modes. use more buttons! What would it take to measure one pill?

[@glennleader8880]

+Pat Farrell If Ben had used a lever, he could have improved the sensitivity quite easily... Good old Physics :)

[@fwolle30]

What happens, when for instance I only need mornig medication?

[@alienozi]

I love how Ben said tic tac are cheaper than pills

[@allluckyseven]

Sounds complicated. Not sure it if would actually work, especially for an elder person (y'know, those who can't even program their own alarm clocks?) But hey, thanks for saying where the LCD display came from! Also: Love it when Karen gets all wacky. xD

[@Chris173972]

The editing style feels very different...

[@WilliamTythas]

I think it would have been better to have the pills dispense, then have the tray the pills drop into have the weight sensor on it .. No weight, no alarm/ any weight sounds alarm. I think it would be very difficult for an older person to get the pills out of the pill box by picking them out.

[@FlameSoulis]

Ben, the best invention I think you can self invent right now is... a better iPad Pencil charger/sync method.Also I love Dr. Mario, but I get it is an acquired taste.

[@NoahKuzel]

I think there already is an app for that.

[@patrick74161]

Woah Woah Woah Hearing "Chuck E Cheese" in the background on my headphones is kiinda crazy.

[@Smeltz247]

it's the theme from on the spot.

[@aaroNiGHTS]

Karen always wears awesome t-shirts. Ben should spice up his work wardrobe a little bit!

[@aarontech]

I would have put the load cell as far to one end as possible and then used a lever system to amplify the weight of the pills on the sensor

[@digitalmasters8253]

karen looking hot without the gloves and scaf.

[@talastas789]

we'll! how the heck get money to buy all microcontrollers and parts??? I'm just wondering I knew microcontroller is expensive per unit.

[@element14presents]

+talastas789 Some part recovery, else support from element14

[@talastas789]

+The Ben Heck Show know I knew!!! how got the money but..... ask much a question ..............can I join the team???

[@talastas789]

+The Ben Heck Show know I knew!!! how got the money but..... ask much a question ..............can I join the team???

[@nrdesign1991]

Microcontrollers are cheap, depending on the type you order. The most common are 8-bit controllers, they retail for 0.50-4.00 depending on the type, brand and pin count

[@goyabee3200]

Karen seems to have loosened up a _little_ bit in this episode.

[@ChrisBarrett1]

Taking the gloves off has improved her circulation.

[@HMPirates]

Wow... you are very perceptive...

[@austingrimes4269]

Hay can you try pi zero to make a raspberry pi zero project like a smaller game boy

[@kstringer24]

11:40 Every week you lose cred saying mul-timmiter.

[@thiagocamargoalima]

Am I the only one bothered by the idea of someone taking the pills for the next day and the system thinking that it is ok?

[@thiagocamargoalima]

dothemathright 1111 Yes, it is a good situation to be tested. But I mean, since the device measures the global weight, you could take just the pills for tomorrow and not the ones for today. This could be a problem with these ordered pregnancy pills, for instance, I think...

[@StevenKW]

No old person would use this.

[@SmoothEmJay]

Loving the shirt that Karen is wearing :)

[@MDSilverstar]

I think that 10% less try-harding from Karen would make the show alot better to view :)

[@aricjensen1207]

You guys typically do a wonderful job with your projects and telling/teaching us how they went together. This episode was not your best.

[@1337Shockwav3]

Woah, shortsleeved Karen ... my theory of her being tattooed all the way is incorrect :(

[@Allseende]

Pill-Minder 2000.. NOT 9000.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaOpiYGFeJqYnJYm46s

[@element14presents]

+Bastian Music Turns out it wasn't over 9000

[@jamesalberi6609]

Since you have such a low, stereotypical view old people, my wish for you is to never suffer such indignity - may you never become old.

[@vinudasari86]

bt all pills dnt have the same weight...

[@RealDids]

Heh, I made something similar (for myself) a few months ago and called it "Medminder". Great minds think alike, I guess. :)

[@TheDrogoBoffin]

or they could just set alarms on their phones.

[@qwerty123443wifi]

Hey Ben! Love your bids!

[@qwerty123443wifi]

Vids *

[@Fox420]

oh really ? you usually make cool stuff. Pill-minder ?

[@reggieroberts6466]

469,069 subs lol

[@404Anymouse]

+Reggie Roberts Either he lost 10 subscribers in 30 minutes or you were 10 off

[@reggieroberts6466]

+404Anymouse it was that much

[@jmpattillo]

"Not to make fun of old people . . ." ???? A little late for that. lol

[@DanielVoyles]

Wow, some rude comments on this show (from Ben mostly).

[@remoteviewer8524]

What an unbelievably flawed approach, basing a pill box on weight. Consider, medication often changes over time, or over the course of a day. Meds can vary hugely by weight - having X amount at this time, and Y amount later. Meds for just twice a day? What about meds that have to be taken with meals, or at bedtime. A simpler but more practical solution would be a 4x7 array whereby the each row of 4 would have a set time alarm, with the option of nullifying any redundant rows.

[@neo70032]

This project is on the spot................. Hahahhaha

[@AKSoapy29]

I was literally thinking of something like this the other day! Except I would do it differently

[@andreib302]

I'd better *EAT* them😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@goodBEan]

PILLS HERE!!!

[@taba1950]

I love the show, but I hate long episodes

[@YoWiDiN]

No jokes at the end of the video? Damn, waste of time =(

[@MDFRESCUER]

Good video.

[@Shredxcam22]

This and the doorknob episode are terrible.

[@MegaJORB]

eyyyyy

[@xKatjaxPurrsx]

Second!

[@happylp501]

THIRD

[@jonathanfulcher602]

I am very early

[@solitaryman703]

Tick tacks? Is that a Dragnet reference Ben?