Technical Feasibility and Performance Evaluation of a Smart Adherence Pillbox for Tuberculosis Treatment
Keywords:
Tuberculosis, Smart Pillbox, Digital Health, Prototype ValidationAbstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge, with poor medication adherence contributing to treatment failure and the rise of multidrug-resistant TB. Digital adherence technologies, including smart pillboxes, show promise, but evidence of their technical reliability remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility and functional performance of the Smart-Adherence Pillbox (SAP) prototype. A prototype validation study was conducted using 100 repeated simulated cycles in a controlled environment without patient involvement. The device was assessed across multiple domains, including alarm system performance, dispensing accuracy, connectivity, mechanical safety, and notification logging. Performance was analyzed using descriptive statistics, with success rates and 95% confidence intervals, while temporal metrics were summarized as mean ± standard deviation, median, and range. The SAP prototype demonstrated high functional reliability, with success rates ranging from 99.0% to 100% across all domains. Alarm accuracy reached 99.0%, while dispensing, connectivity, mechanical safety, and notification functions achieved 100% success. Temporal analysis showed no deviation in alarm activation and logging, with rapid notification delivery (mean 2.05 seconds). However, data transfer time showed variability (mean 7.57 seconds; range 2–41 seconds), indicating potential network-related delays. Minor issues, such as delayed transfers and simulated missed-dose events, were observed but did not impact overall system performance. The SAP prototype demonstrated excellent technical feasibility and reliability under controlled conditions. Further clinical studies are required to evaluate its effectiveness in real-world TB treatment adherence.
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