Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and an upper casing with a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls application of a force to cause the carousel to rotate relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed therethrough. A locking mechanism selectively engages the carousel to prevent any relative movement of the carousel when the article dispensing unit is not mounted on the main housing and disengages from the carousel to allow intended relative movement when the article dispensing unit is mounted on the main housing.

Abstract: A smart container for holding a pre-prepared strip of serially connected pill packets, such as a strip stored in a box with each packet containing at least one medication, includes a housing having plural walls defining a space to receive the strip of pill packets; a lid secured to the housing, the lid being movable between open and closed positions, the space being accessible when the lid is in the open position; a dispensing portal disposed at a predetermined position of the housing, the strip of pill packets being dispensable through the dispensing portal; and a guiding mechanism interconnected with the lid. The guiding mechanism engages the strip of pill packets when the strip of pill packets is disposed in the space and aligned in the dispensing portal and the lid is moved to the closed position.

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and an upper casing with a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls application of a force to cause the carousel to rotate relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed therethrough. A locking mechanism selectively engages the carousel to prevent any relative movement of the carousel when the article dispensing unit is not mounted on the main housing and disengages from the carousel to allow intended relative movement when the article dispensing unit is mounted on the main housing.

Abstract: A system for remotely managing a medication regimen includes a communication device usable by a target individual, a peripheral device that obtains biometric information of the target individual, an interactive medication dispenser, and a processor. The processor causes the communication device to enable a conversation interface associated with a virtual assistant that provides information, queries, and directions to a target individual, receives input from the target individual, information from the medication dispenser, and biometric information from the peripheral device, determines a status of management of the medication regimen based on the received data, determines a response based on the determined status, and transmits the response.

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and an upper casing with a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls application of a force to cause the carousel to rotate relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed therethrough. A locking mechanism selectively engages the carousel to prevent any relative movement of the carousel when the article dispensing unit is not mounted on the main housing and disengages from the carousel to allow intended relative movement when the article dispensing unit is mounted on the main housing.

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and an upper casing with a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls application of a force to cause the carousel to rotate relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed therethrough. A locking mechanism selectively engages the carousel to prevent any relative movement of the carousel when the article dispensing unit is not mounted on the main housing and disengages from the carousel to allow intended relative movement when the article dispensing unit is mounted on the main housing.

Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes a carousel and an upper casing with a dispensing face including a dispensing orifice through which the articles are dispensed. The carousel includes plural holding sections for holding the articles to be dispensed and is rotationally movable. A controller controls application of a force to cause the carousel to rotate relative to the dispensing face when an instruction to dispense an article is received. When the carousel is moved so that one of its holding sections having an article therein is aligned with the dispensing orifice, the article is allowed to be dispensed therethrough. A locking mechanism selectively engages the carousel to prevent any relative movement of the carousel when the article dispensing unit is not mounted on the main housing and disengages from the carousel to allow intended relative movement when the article dispensing unit is mounted on the main housing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a shielding includes one or more contact elements configured to electrically contact one or more electrical elements of an integrated circuit package. The one or more electrical elements may be located on a top surface of the package. A bottom surface of the package may be coupled to a circuit board. The one or more contact elements provide a path for a ground through the one or more electrical elements. For example, the shielding may be coupled to a ground on the circuit board. This may provide shielding of EMI.