This project originates from a previous version I made on high school for my grandfather, who takes the same medications every day. However sometimes he forgets to take them, and most of the time only my mother or his caregivers know exactly which pills he needs and whether he has already taken them.
Sometimes other family members and I help with refills or by bringing him his medication during breakfast/dinner, but we do not always know the routine with complete certainty. Even when the medication is the same (there might be some changes from time to time depending on the doctor's instructions), the pill presentation can change depending on the pharmacy where it was bought, which makes it harder to identify each dose only by appearance.
This is why I decided to make a motorized pill dispenser for my final project. It was thought to support people who take medication at the same times for long periods, while also making the routine clearer for the family members or caregivers who help them. The device has a carousel with 16 compartments, but since one space is used as the dispensing opening (dispensing ocures thanks to gravity when the compartment is aligned with the opening), it can hold up to 15 single doses or (7 1/2 days when AM and PM doses are needed).
The system does not dispense automatically without the user. When the RTC reaches a programmed alarm time, the buzzer keeps the reminder active until the user either confirms the dose or postpones it if there is a temporary issue. After confirmation, a 28BYJ-48 stepper motor advances the carousel to release the scheduled compartment. A XIAO ESP32 controls the mechanism, drives an OLED display, reads the buttons, and hosts its own WiFi Access Point so the schedule can be configured locally.
Project summary slide
One minute presentation video
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People with long-term medication routines often depend on memory, paper schedules, or caregivers to take the right dose at the right time. This can lead to missed doses, repeated checking, and uncertainty around whether a dose was already taken.
A compact motorized dispenser stores pills in individual compartments, keeps the alarm active until the user responds, and releases a dose only after physical confirmation.
The device should feel understandable and safe: it should remind without being easy to ignore, allow postponement when needed, and be configurable through its own local WiFi Access Point.
The idea started with a high school prototype: a flat seven day pill organizer with three doses per day. It was mechanical and had no automation. The Fab Academy version transforms that idea into a timed electronic system with alerts, confirmation, and controlled dispensing.
It reminds the user to take medication and dispenses one programmed dose after confirmation.
Commercial pill dispensers exist, but this prototype explores a custom fabricated vertical carousel.
The enclosure, carousel mechanism, custom PCBs, wiring strategy, firmware, and interface flow.
PLA, plywood, acrylic, XIAO ESP32C6, RTC module, OLED display, buzzer, buttons, and stepper motor.
Fab Lab inventory, local suppliers, online electronics stores, and reused materials when possible.
The estimated prototype cost is around 1,060 MXN, excluding tools already available in the lab.
The rotating pill ring, base, cover, custom electronics, firmware, and local configuration interface.
Computer aided design, 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, PCB milling, soldering, and programming.
How reliable the dispensing movement is, how clear the alert is, and how easy the device is to refill.
Design, fabricate, test electronics, integrate firmware, assemble the prototype, document, and present.
The alarm must trigger on time, the button must confirm, the motor must advance, and the dose must fall.
This is an assistive prototype, not a certified medical device. A person still confirms each dose.
The documentation is shared under CC BY NC SA 4.0.
The first sketches explored flat carousels, side loading trays, and vertical stacking. The selected direction was a vertical cylinder with a rotating compartment ring because it reduces footprint and keeps the mechanism compact.
The electronics are organized around a modular ESP32 based architecture. The central PCB carries the XIAO ESP32C6, the stepper driver, the buzzer, buttons, and the main connectors. A smaller I2C hub board connects the OLED and RTC to the controller with cleaner wiring.
Designed in KiCad and milled on the Roland MDX 20 as a single sided copper board.
Groups the RTC and OLED connections into a compact removable bus board.
Controls the carousel stepper motor so the dispenser advances one compartment at a time.
The firmware integrates the RTC, OLED, buzzer, buttons, stepper motor, and an offline web interface hosted by the ESP32. The interface allows a caregiver to set the alarm time from a phone connected to the local access point.
The clock checks the programmed time, activates the alert, waits for the blue confirmation button, advances the carousel, and then returns to the idle display.
Integration brought together the fabricated structure, custom PCBs, firmware, wiring, and final enclosure. The wiring is routed through the CNC milled base to keep the outside clean, and the acrylic cover can be removed for refilling.
PLA parts were sanded, fitted, and tested with the plywood base and acrylic cover.
Stepper and I2C wires run through internal channels to reduce visible wiring.
The prototype was tested for alarm timing, button confirmation, motor movement, and dispensing.
| Component | Purpose | Qty | Source | Cost MXN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XIAO ESP32C6 | Main controller | 1 | Seeed Studio or Amazon MX | $380 |
| DS3231 RTC module | Real time clock | 1 | Amazon MX | $95 |
| SH1106 OLED 128 x 64 | User display | 1 | Amazon MX | $110 |
| 28BYJ 48 with ULN2003 | Carousel motor | 1 | Amazon MX | $80 |
| Passive buzzer | Alarm sound | 1 | Lab inventory | $15 |
| Tactile push buttons | Confirm and snooze | 2 | Lab inventory | $10 |
| FR1 copper board | PCB substrate | 1 sheet | Fab Lab Puebla | $60 |
| PLA filament | 3D printed parts | 120 g | Fab Lab Puebla | $70 |
| 3 mm acrylic sheet | Laser cut cover | 1 piece | Fab Lab Puebla | $45 |
| 9 mm plywood | CNC routed base | 1 piece | Fab Lab Puebla | $50 |
| Neodymium magnets | Cover closure | 4 | Amazon MX | $40 |
| JST connectors | Modular wiring | 1 bag | Amazon MX | $55 |
| M3 screws and nuts | Assembly hardware | 1 pack | Hardware store | $50 |
| USB C 5 V charger | Power supply | 1 | Already owned | $0 |
| Total estimated | $1,060 MXN | |||
This project is documented under the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license. Project files are available separately and can be added to this section as direct download links.
I combined 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC routing in one integrated object.
I designed, milled, soldered, and tested custom PCBs for the final system.
I integrated timekeeping, display output, sound, motor control, buttons, and networking.
I learned how much precision is needed when separate parts become one finished prototype.
I used adjustable dimensions to manage tolerances across printed iterations.
I created a local ESP32 interface that can be accessed from a phone without internet.