When Joy Akinkunmi attended a science fair two years ago, she never imagined that what she saw at home would inspire her own project.
Akinkunmi, now 15, saw firsthand how difficult it was for her family members with Lewy body dementia to take their medication. While helping her family, Akinkunmi found it difficult to help administer medication between school and extracurricular activities.
“I often spent time wishing there was some kind of situation or solution to this,” said the Bedford, N.S., teenager. “So when I found out there was going to be a science fair, the first thing that really came to mind was to think about what kind of problems there are in everyday life.”
From that experience, Akinkunmi created an automatic pill dispenser. For her research, Akinkunmi became a guinea pig. She used the device to dispense gummy bears to herself.
Akinkunmi was recently recognized at the Discovery Awards as one of two recipients of the Youth Award, which recognizes “extraordinary achievement in early scientific endeavors by young Nova Scotia students.”
To create the device, Akinkunmi collaborated with Jeffrey Lin, coordinator of the Young Gifted and Black Science Fair. Lyn, who has a background in electrical and biomechanical engineering, was immediately impressed with the idea.
“It was one of those things where I just saw a blind spot. [in] The way the world works, there are problems that don’t have solutions,” Lin said.
He said the device would not only help with her future career prospects but also provide insight into the kind of person Akinkunmi is.
“It definitely looks great on a resume, but you can also tell that she really cares about the people around her,” Lin said.
Akinkunmi is currently using the second version of the device, Pill Smart 2.0. This allows multiple medications to be dispensed at different times of the day. The speaker prompts the user to take their medication, and the device pairs with an app to notify caregivers if the person has taken their medication.
The device is not patented or commercially available, but Akinkunmi hopes to one day commercialize it for people with mild or moderate dementia.
Akinkunmi said the device cost about $75 to manufacture, a far cry from some automatic dispensers on the market that cost more than $1,000.
Through other science fairs, Akinkunmi contacted university professors and people with patent registration experience.
career plan
For now, Akinkunmi is focused on her education. Motivated by a desire to help people, the Year 11 student always wanted to become a doctor. But seeing the effects of dementia firsthand further limited her career options.
“Diseases that affect the brain can take a huge toll on a person’s life, not only for that person but also for those around them,” Akinkunmi said. “That fueled my passion to become a neurosurgeon.”
Sacha Nadeau, director of research and advocacy for the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia, said it’s important for people with dementia to have a system in place to stick to their medication regimen.
Some people set reminders on their phones or leave their medications somewhere that reminds them to take them, such as near a coffee or tea source, she said.
“But we need innovation in this space, so I think the more options consumers have to find what fits their needs, the better,” Nadeau said. “And…it’s great for us to see innovation from students.”
