CBE Student Ismael Valadez creates automatic medication dispenser based on his experience helping his mother

When Ismael Valadez was just 10 years old, he became the main caregiver for his mother as she went through cancer treatment. Too weak from radiation to open her pill bottles, she depended on him to make sure she took the right medications at the right time. Years later, as a college student at the University of Idaho’s College of Business and Economics (CBE), Valadez teamed up with his friend Austen Reagan, who had faced a similar challenge helping his girlfriend manage her own medications.

Now both students at the CBE, they’ve developed Medi-Mate — an AI-powered medication dispenser designed to prevent common dosing mistakes. The device uses facial recognition to securely dispense up to eight different medications at the correct times each day, helping patients stick to their prescriptions safely and independently.

“We’re not just building a product to sell something — we’ve both lived the problem we’re trying to solve,” said Valadez.

Built with the help of classmates and fraternity brothers, the first Medi-Mate prototype was created using 3D printing. The device connects to MyChart, a digital medical chart platform, allowing doctors to track medication use and even chat with patients about refills in real time. Medi-Mate aims to reduce errors, save office visits, and help both patients and doctors manage treatment more effectively.

Currently, the team is preparing for trials in partnership with St. Luke’s Medical Center in Boise, with hopes that their invention will soon make medication management safer and easier for many.

Adapted from:
https://www.uidaho.edu/news/feature-stories/medication-dispenser-inventi...