Pill Dispensing and Monitoring System with Biometric Access: An IoT-Based Approach for Medication Adherence

Abstract

Medication non-adherence remains a major contributor to adverse health outcomes, particularly among elderly and chronically ill patients. Existing solutions lack integrated biometric authentication, automated dispensing, and remote monitoring within a single affordable platform. This paper presents the Pill Dispensing and Monitoring System with Biometric Access (PDMS-BA), an IoT-enabled embedded system for secure home medication management. The system integrates an ESP32 microcontroller, fingerprint sensor, RTC module, servo-based dispensing mechanism, and Wi-Fi cloud logging via Google Sheets. At scheduled times, the system activates audio-visual alerts and initiates fingerprint verification; successful authentication triggers medication dispensing and real-time cloud logging, while missed doses are recorded automatically. Prototype validation using breadboard and custom PCB implementation demonstrated reliable multi-module performance. The PDMS-BA system establishes a practical and scalable foundation for IoT-driven smart medication management in home healthcare environments.