August Faller Group presents smart packaging prototype “Counting Device”
With the smart packaging prototype of a "counting folding carton", the August Faller Group (Waldkirch, Germany) has designed an innovative packaging solution that can improve compliance and make it easier for patients to handle their medicines. The intelligent, interactive medicine packaging is equipped with a small e-paper display and electronic controls (buttons). With the development of smart packaging, the specialist for secondary packaging materials for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is taking account of the ongoing digitalisation in the e-health market and the growing interest in interactive packaging solutions.
With the new "Counting Device" packaging prototype, the patient confirms every tablet removal by pressing the buttons on the front of the folding box. If the tablet stock is running low, the e-paper display issues a warning and a note on ordering a prescription in good time. This ensures consistent medication.
The tiny microcontroller (memory on chip) of the innovative folding box is supplied by a battery integrated in the packaging. The flat design of the electronics was a central requirement for simple integration in drug packaging. Faller solved this problem with a PCB with one-sided loading on the back and an e-paper display on the front integrated into the folding box construction.
With smart packaging solutions, pharmaceutical manufacturers can offer patients medicines with real added value, which on the one hand provide detailed and tailor-made information, on the other hand increase safety and make drug intake more convenient. The intelligent drug packaging "Counting Device" is one of three newly developed smart packaging prototypes that were developed in cooperation with MSC Technologies from Freiburg and the University of Pforzheim. In addition to the counting folding box, this also includes the prototype of the "Level Indicator", an intelligent packaging that records the filling level in a bottle of a liquid medication, and the "Medical Prescription" prototype, which not only counts the tablets and reminds the patient to take them on time, but also allows the prescription to be sent to the packaging via Bluetooth using a specially developed app.
The smart packaging concepts should give an impression of what is possible. Together with its customers, Faller naturally develops individual solutions that are precisely designed for the specific applications.
Caption: The Counting Device from Faller (photo: August Faller KG)