Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container's surroundings.

Systems and methods for determining container contents, locations, and surroundings

A packaging system and method for wireless earpieces. The packaging system includes wireless earpieces includes one or more sensors and a near field communication chip. The near field communication chip communicates with a number of packaging systems adjacent to the packaging system if present. The packaging system further includes packaging defining a window for displaying the wireless earpieces. The packing prevents damage to the wireless earpieces. The packaging performs a display action in response to a display criteria being met.

Responsive packaging system for managing display actions

Industry 4.0 is a new era of industrial revolution in which textile and apparel (T&A) companies are adopting and integrating advanced technologies to achieve sustainability and a competitive edge. Previous studies have just focused on the perspective of big data utilization in Industry 4.0 and neglected the role of business intelligence systems (BIS), especially in the T&A industry. The current study is one of the first to investigate the determinants of BIS adoption with an eye towards understanding how BIS can resolve sustainability issues in T&A companies with Industry 4.0 technologies. Methodology: A qualitative research approach is applied with 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews from 12 of the world’s high-end T&A companies. The snowball and purposeful sampling strategy is used to select the participants. The qualitative content analysis technique is used to analyze the interview data. Results: The findings revealed various themes, such as sustainability issues in T&A companies, improved value creation processes with leading BI solutions, and perceived difficulties in the adoption of BIS. Major improvements are perceived in the apparel retail business because apparel companies are more prone to adopt the Industry 4.0 technologies with advanced business intelligence (BI) solutions. The results prove the pivotal role of economic sustainability in the adoption of BIS and Industry 4.0 technologies in T&A companies.

Towards Sustainable Textile and Apparel Industry: Exploring the Role of Business Intelligence Systems in the Era of Industry 4.0

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for adherence monitoring, and devices, systems, and methods are provided for monitoring use of consumable dispensers. In general, the devices, systems, and methods can facilitate an individual's adherence to a schedule for consuming consumables and can facilitate monitoring and tracking of the individual's adherence to the schedule. The devices, systems, and methods can allow data regarding the individual's historical adherence to the schedule to be accessible via a computer system. In one embodiment, an accessory is provided that can be configured to attach to consumable dispensers. The accessory can be configured to be removably and replaceably coupled to the dispenser. The accessory can be configured to provide a notification to a user indicating that a certain event occurred and/or that a certain action needs to be taken. The accessory can be configured to sense attachment thereof to and removal thereof from the dispenser.

Devices, systems, and methods for adherence monitoring and devices, systems, and methods for monitoring use of consumable dispensers

A system for capture of dose delivery information is provided. The system includes a medication delivery device, a dose information capture device adapted to be attached to the medication delivery device, and a target element adapted to be attached to the medication delivery device. The target element comprises a magnet or ferrous element and the target element attaches to the medication delivery device on a dose delivery mechanism of the medication delivery device. The dose information capture device includes a magnetic position sensor adapted to detect a position of the target element. As an alternative to magnetic sensing, MEMS flow sensors, and the like may also be used. Exemplary systems preferably transmit dose information in real time to remote devices for further processing.

System and method for capturing dose information

Digitalization and big data are currently moving many industries forward and creating value-added efficiency improvements, new services, and business models. One area in industrial digitalization is RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and related sensor technologies with benefits in asset visibility, employee productivity, risk management, loss, and theft mitigation. This literature review article is focused on specifically looking at digitalization in the apparel industry. Due to its complex global network, it has been a challenging industry to implement such technological advancements. Recent novel RFID system integrations have included highly innovative solutions in new store concepts, business models, and product traceability in the value chain. Inventory management has been improved by using RFID technology for creating and updating and for more efficient controls. Also, chain of custody of the various products in apparel and fashion can be more traceable and efficient. Improved customer connectivity and, therefore, customization are also important benefits using these technologies. Most benefits in using RFID in the apparel industry are related to economics and efficiencies. Similarly looking at scientific literature, the majority is focused on the more business-related value creation. In this publication, results of a systematically made literature review focusing on the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic systems) is reported. This review is done using value chain analyses, and it focuses on reported case studies to highlight the sustainability benefits of the RFID technology. According to the literature findings, this is the first review article that reports on the broader sustainability impact of RFID in the apparel industry. The findings show a very limited number of articles and the main focus of the articles found was in environmental aspects (44%). Following that was economic benefits (36%), and only a limited amount of research articles was found in social aspects of sustainability (20%). In addition to identifying the sustainability areas that RFID technology is related to, this article shows other areas of improvements using RFID technology in different parts of the apparel value chain.

Sustainability Benefits of RFID Technology in the Apparel Industry

A monitoring system (100) for monitoring smart package content use, wherein the system (100) comprises a smart package (102). The smart package (102) in turn comprises removable content units, such as pill type or tablet type or other singly packed objects, as well as most preferably wireless communication elements (102a). The system (100) comprises also database elements (104) with which the smart package (102) can be in communication. In addition, the smart package (102) is adapted to detect said removal of a content unit and to deliver information to said database elements (104) by way of said communication elements (102a), regarding a removal of said content unit. The smart package (102) is identifiable by the database elements (104) on the basis of information delivered by way of said communication elements (102a).

Monitoring system for monitoring smart package content use

An apparatus, a method, a planar insulating substrate and a chipset have been presented, comprising at least one module configured to establish a predefined pattern on a planar insulating substrate so that conductive particles can gather according to the predefined pattern. At least one another module is configured to transfer the conductive particles to the planar insulating substrate, wherein the conductive particles are arranged to gather according to the predefined pattern. A sintering module is configured to fuse the conductive particles on the planar insulating substrate, wherein the conductive particles are arranged to fuse according to the predefined pattern to establish a conductive plane on the planar insulating substrate. Embodiment of the invention relate to printable or printing electronics on a fibrous web.

An apparatus, a method for establishing a conductive pattern on a planar insulating substrate, the planar insulating substrate and a chipset thereof

A smart package backing (100) for pills removable from the backing, wherein the backing is adapted to record a removal of said pills by means of detection elements (103, 401a, 501a). The detection elements comprise electrical components (401a, 501a), wherein said electrical components are pressed onto the backing (100) with methods of printing technology. The removal of a pill from the backing is adapted to bring about a structural change in at least one printed component, and the structural change of said component is adapted to bring about an electrically measurable change in an electric circuit comprising said component. In addition, at least one of said electrical components (401a, 501a) deviates in terms of its specific electrical value from the specific electrical value of at least one other electrical component (401a, 501a).

Smart package and method for manufacturing the package

A chip (201) is attached to a printed conductive surface. The chip is first heated to a first temperature, which is lower than what the chip can stand without being damaged by the heat. The heated chip is pressed against the printed conductive surface with a first pressing force. A combination of said first temperature and said first pressing force is sufficient to at least partly melt the material of at least one of: the printed conductive surface, contact point on the chip (205, 206).

Juha Maijala

Papers

Sustainability Benefits of RFID Technology in the Apparel Industry

Monitoring system for monitoring smart package content use

An apparatus, a method for establishing a conductive pattern on a planar insulating substrate, the planar insulating substrate and a chipset thereof

Smart package and method for manufacturing the package

Method and arrangement for attaching a chip to a printed conductive surface