AT&T has inked a deal to let Vitality’s smart pillbox cap offering, GlowCaps, run on its wireless network. The service is a medication reminder and compliance service: GlowCaps fit the standard pill container top as a new, smart lid that uses short-range wireless technology to monitor when a pillbox is open and when it isn’t. It uses a close-range wireless signal to connect to a gateway hub in the home — the gateway looks like a night light, but it includes the guts of a mobile phone. That repackaged mobile phone technology runs on AT&T’s network.
Here’s how it works: If the bottle isn’t opened at the appointed time, the cap and night light start blinking to remind the owner to take the medication. If that doesn’t serve as enough of a hint, they start playing jingles as well. If the bottle stays unopened, the night light will send a message to Vitality’s system, which can then place an automated phone call or send a text message with a reminder.
GlowCaps are also available on Amazon.com for $99 as of a few weeks ago.