L2M – SmartMed: AI-Powered Platform for Alzheimer’s Medication Management

Medication non-adherence is a major challenge in Alzheimer’s care. Fewer than half of patients take their medications as prescribed, leading to faster disease progression, preventable hospitalizations, and significant emotional and financial strain for families and caregivers. Traditional pillboxes and reminder apps have not solved this issue — they are not designed for people living with cognitive decline or managing complex medication schedules. Once patients leave the pharmacy, pharmacists and caregivers often lose visibility, leaving a critical gap in ongoing support.
This project develops a smart medication management system that combines intelligent hardware and AI-powered software to close this gap. The system features a smart dispensing device with an integrated camera and speaker to ensure the right dose is taken at the right time. Connected IoT sensors and agentic AI algorithms monitor adherence in real time, detect missed doses or irregular behaviors, and generate early alerts to caregivers and pharmacists.
Through interactive dashboards, families, pharmacists, and healthcare providers can view adherence trends, receive predictive alerts, and take timely action before health issues escalate.
This innovation goes far beyond a simple pillbox — it creates a smart, compassionate support system that helps patients stay independent and safe, empowers caregivers with real-time insights, and strengthens the connection between pharmacies and healthcare teams. By combining hardware innovation, IoT connectivity, and AI-driven analytics, the project advances Canada’s leadership in digital health, aging-in-place solutions, and smart pharmacy technology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sara Saeedi

Student:

Partner:

Edmonton Unlimited

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Public administration

University:

University of Calgary

Program: