Every few years, a new startup tries to develop an automated pill dispenser to help people stick to their medications and prevent people from accidentally taking more than they should. It makes sense: For many of us, as we age, more and more medications are added to the lineup to keep us going. Unfortunately, memory can become hazy, and forgetting to take or double a dose can have disastrous consequences. My Memo is an Italian startup that TechCrunch met at CES 2024. The company took a fresh look at the market and launched a beautiful device to ensure that users’ medication intake remains on track.
“We are doctors, and in our work we realized that 75 percent of chronically ill patients are taking no less than four different medications. So we created the smallest automated pill dispenser with the smallest footprint,” says RGF Diagnostics, the company behind Memo. said CEO and founder Dr. Roee Dvir, adding, “This is a medical device that doesn’t look like a medical device.”
Dr. Dvir makes an important point – the company is not without competitors, but the most notable ones (Hero, e-Pill station, Medready) look like they belong in hospitals at best.
My Notes is a closed box where the medicines inside are inaccessible, helping to prevent accidental theft and child safety, for example.
The My Memo Pill Dispenser is a toaster-looking technological marvel filled with sensors that make medication compliance easier. Image Source: TechCrunch / Hadj Campos
“We created a mobile app that serves as a clinical diary that you can view as a caregiver, medical professional or patient,” said Dr. Dvir. “You get all notifications and alerts instantly on the app to help manage all your medications, including those that can be loaded into the device and those that can’t be loaded into the device, such as liquids, inhaled or injectable medications.”
The product takes a health team approach to medication adherence, giving senior and sick users autonomy but also enabling caregivers and medical professionals to pay close attention.
“You can get all the information instantly from the device. If a patient doesn’t take their medication, you know that as a caregiver and you can call them and say, hey, you didn’t take your medication, how did that happen?” Dr. Dwyer said. “There are also a lot of sensors in the device: temperature, humidity, GPS, Bluetooth—you name it. It looks very simple and has a bit of a retro feel. The clock doubles as an alarm display.”
The product is already sold in Europe, and the company is applying for FDA clearance to be able to sell it in the United States. Reasonably priced: $99 startup fee plus $29 monthly subscription fee. The device supports up to four medications, but if users have more medications, they can add additional devices to add support in four increments – up to 12 different medications.
