This study examines the reproductive strategies of the Pill-box crab, Halicarcinus innominatus, at the Oaro Platform (24 km south of the Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand). As necessary components of reproductive strategies, the population dynamics, reproductive biology and mating behaviour of H. innominetus were examined from December 1997 through December 1998. There were obvious sexually dimorphic differences in secondary sexual traits in this species. Both males and females display a wide range of sizes over which individuals can moult to maturity. H. innominatus females displayed continuous breeding throughout the year, resulting in continuous recruitment. Females were found to outnumber males in each month. However, when comparisons were made between mature males and females with different brood stages (i.e. 0-5), males outnumbered each female type in each month. Investigations into the reproductive biology of H. innominatus females revealed that brood development and ovary development were in phase. This resulted in the ability of females to produce several broods in quick succession. Ovary development began before the moult to maturity, allowing for immediate production of a brood after the moult to maturity. Egg incubation periods were dependent on water temperature, being longest in the winter and shortest in the summer. Egg numbers were found to increase with female body size, but mortality of eggs through development was apparent. Sperm storage was found to occur in this species with possible layering of different ejaculates. Copulations were only observed between males and females in hard-shell conditions. Males mated more often with females carrying stage 5 broods, but also mated with all other female types, including pre-pubescent females. Postcopulatory mate guarding only occurred with stage 5 females. Males can detect females of different reproductive condition, which seems to be linked to the developmental stages of the females' ovaries. In conclusion, H. innominatus males seem to have two tactics to their reproductive strategies: mating with any receptive female, but only guarding stage 5 females.

This study examines the reproductive strategies of the Pill-box crab, Halicarcinus innominatus, at the Oaro Platform (24 km south of the Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand). As necessary components of reproductive strategies, the population dynamics, reproductive biology and mating behaviour of H. innominetus were examined from December 1997 through December 1998. There were obvious sexually dimorphic differences in secondary sexual traits in this species. Both males and females display a wide range of sizes over which individuals can moult to maturity. H. innominatus females displayed continuous breeding throughout the year, resulting in continuous recruitment. Females were found to outnumber males in each month. However, when comparisons were made between mature males and females with different brood stages (i.e. 0-5), males outnumbered each female type in each month. Investigations into the reproductive biology of H. innominatus females revealed that brood development and ovary development were in phase. This resulted in the ability of females to produce several broods in quick succession. Ovary development began before the moult to maturity, allowing for immediate production of a brood after the moult to maturity. Egg incubation periods were dependent on water temperature, being longest in the winter and shortest in the summer. Egg numbers were found to increase with female body size, but mortality of eggs through development was apparent. Sperm storage was found to occur in this species with possible layering of different ejaculates. Copulations were only observed between males and females in hard-shell conditions. Males mated more often with females carrying stage 5 broods, but also mated with all other female types, including pre-pubescent females. Postcopulatory mate guarding only occurred with stage 5 females. Males can detect females of different reproductive condition, which seems to be linked to the developmental stages of the females' ovaries. In conclusion, H. innominatus males seem to have two tactics to their reproductive strategies: mating with any receptive female, but only guarding stage 5 females.

Detta examensarbete utförs som en del av examinationen i utbildningen högskoleingenjörsprogrammet inom innovationsteknik och design, vårterminen 2019 vid Karlstads Universitet. Examensarbetet är utfört enligt produktutvecklingsprocessen i ett uppdrag som tillhandahålls av VICTRIX AB, Stockholm. Uppdraget handlade om att skapa fram en elektronisk doseringsask som skulle vara portabel. Det formulerades två problemformuleringar: Hur ska en elektronisk doseringsask utformas så att den är användarvänlig, portabel och samtidigt vara enkelt att återladda den med nya tabletter? Hur ska en lucka konstrueras så att en person med högt kognitivt handikapp klarar av att öppna och stänga den? Syftet med examensarbetet var att genomföra en produktionsutvecklingsprocess och självständigt utveckla ett koncept med hjälp av att implementera kunskaper som erhållits under högskoleingenjörsprogrammet i innovationsteknik och design. Syftet med uppdraget var att nå en större målgrupp med en ny och förbättrad konstruktion. Produkten ska erbjuda träffsäkerhet när det gäller medicinering och minska sjukdomskänsla. Målet var att leverera ett konceptunderlag i form av CAD modell med tillhörande ritningar på en elektronisk doseringsask som är kognitiv smart. Metoder som användes i projektet var projektplanering, förstudie, kravspecifikation, konceptgenerering, konceptutvärdering, konceptval och slutligen konstruktion. Detta resulterade i ett slutkoncept som illustrerar en elektronisk pillerdosa som påminner patienten att ta sin medicin vid rätt tid. Produkten visar från vilket fack medicinen ska tas genom flera larmsignaler. Slutkonceptet består av klockenhet med ett membran som inkluderar display och knappar. Två stycken pillerfack som går att koppla på klockenhetens långa sidor. Varje pillerfack erbjuder upp till fyra doseringstillfällen. Detta koncept levereras som grund för en fortsatt utveckling och optimering för att kunna vara en fullt fungerande produkt i framtiden. / This project has been carried out as an examination in the education bachelor’s degree in innovation technology and design, the course is conducted in the spring 2019 at Karlstad University. The project has been carried out in accordance with product development process, in an assignment provided by VICTRIX AB, Stockholm. The mission was to create a portable pillbox. Two problem definition were formulated: How should an electronic pillbox be designed to be user-friendly, portable and easy to recharge with new medication? How should a hatch be designed so that a person with a high cognitive disability is able to open and close it? The purpose of the thesis is to carry out a product development process and independently develop a concept with the help of implementing knowledge acquired by the education bachelor’s degree in innovation technology and design. The purpose of the assignment is to reach a larger target group with a new and improved design. The product should offer precision when it comes to medication. The goal was to provide a concept basis in the form of CAD model with associated drawings of an electronic pillbox which is cognitive smart.  Methods covered in the project include project planning, pilot study, requirement specification, concept generation, concept evaluation, concept selection and construction. This resulted in a final concept that illustrates an electronic pillbox that reminds the patient to take their medication at the right time. The product shows from which compartment the medication is to be taken through several alarm signals. The end concept consists of a clock unit with a membrane that includes display and buttons. Two pillboxes that can be connected to the long sides of the clock unit. Each pillbox offer up to four dosing time. This concept is delivered as a basis for continued development and optimization in order to be a fully functional product in the future.

Dosis® är en digital doseringsask från Victrix AB som med hjälp av en inbyggd datorenhet kan ställas in för att påminna patienter om doseringstillfällen genom alarm, röstmeddelande och vibration. För att vidareanpassa Dosis® till patienter med kognitiva nedsättningar vill Victrix AB implementera en låsfunktion till doseringsfacken. Facken skall endast kunna öppnas under doseringstillfällen för att undvika felmedicinering. Detta arbete fokuserar på att skapa underlag för utvecklingen av denna låsfunktion till Dosis®. Genom att bryta ned låsets funktion i delfunktioner har koncept strategiskt kunnat utvecklas. Genom ett morfologiskt schema har utvalda konceptfragment från alla låsets delfunktioner slutligen kombinerats till sex potentiella lösningar. / Dosis® is a digital pill box from Victrix AB which has a built in computer unit that can be set to remind patients of when it’s time to take their medicine through alarm, voice messages and vibrations. To adapt Dosis® for patients with cognitive dysfunctions Victrix AB wants to implement an automated locking system. The locking system is supposed to prevent patients from opening pill compartments outside of the pre-set time for medication. By doing this Victrix AB hopes to decrease the risk of these patience overdosing. This work is focused on producing a basis from which an automated locking system could be designed. The function of the locking system was broken down into sub functions, making it possible to strategically develop new solutions. Through a morphological schedule chosen concept fragments where combined from all sub functions to finally produce six potential solutions.

To tackle the problem of poor adherence to medication, pill boxes are manufactured to help patients store and organise their pills. Unfortunately, pill boxes alone cannot aide people with memory difficulties to improve their adherence to medication. A solution to this problem is to improve pill boxes by integrating technology. Technology makes it possible to have audio signals, as well as light signals, in a pill box, which can remind the users of their dosing times. The purpose of this report is to design a pill box unit, which together with an already designed watch unit from the company Victrix AB, will form a lockable dosing system. The pill box unit itself should be able to facilitate medication intake for people with disabilities in their hands, among other disabilities and diagnoses, as well as for the visually impaired. Interviews were conducted with potential users of a dosing system to identify the product requirements of a pill box. These requirements were used to generate different concepts. From the concepts developed, two were chosen for further development and design in CAD. The results from the study were Dosis, a pill box with an automatic locking function, and Medix, a pill box with a manual locking function, which together meet all the set requirements. Due to the limitations imposed on the design, in correlation with the requirements that were set, the study could not design a concept of a pill box that could solely meet all the requirements. / För att förhindra underdosering vid medicinering av läkemedel tillverkas dosetter, ett förvaringsutrymme för tabletter. Dessvärre hjälper inte endast ett förvaringsutrymme för att människor med minnessvårigheter ska komma ihåg att inta sin medicinering. En lösning till detta problem är doseringssystem, vilket påminner användare om deras doseringstillfällen med hjälp av en ljudsignal. Syftet med denna rapport är att konstruera en pillerdosaenhet, som tillsammans med en redan formgiven klockenhet från företaget Victrix AB, ska bilda ett låsbart tablettdoseringssystem. Pillerdosaenheten i sig ska kunna underlätta tablettintag för personer med, bland annat, handikapp i händerna och för synskadade. Intervjuer med potentiella användare för ett tablettdoseringssystem genomfördes för att identifiera de krav som ställs på en dosett. Kraven användes sedan för att generera olika koncept. Utifrån de framställda koncepten valdes två, ett med manuell låsfunktion och ett med en automatisk låsfunktion, för att vidareutvecklas och sedan konstrueras i CAD. Resultatet blev Dosis med automatisk låsfunktion och Medix med manuell låsfunktion, som tillsammans kan uppfylla alla ställda krav på produkten. På grund av begränsningar som sattes på konstruktionen, i samband med kravställningen, kunde studien inte komma fram till en enskild pillerdosa som kunde uppfylla samtliga krav.

Taking medication at the prescribed times is very important for people with mental issues like schizophrenia, dementia Alzheimer’s and depression. But their condition itself keeps them from doing so. They are either forgetful or choose not to take the pills intentionally. This could lead to missing dosage or overdosing both of which are dangerous to the person’s health. Hence a pill box that monitors the dosage and keeps them from being able to access the pills at undesired times is needed. The aim of the thesis is to design such a pill box for the company Victrix AB in Stockholm, Sweden, by expanding on their current pill box, Dosis. In the project, the locking mechanism to keep the lids closed was rigorously designed in phases after understanding the user conditions. The end result is a locked daily pill box that is ergonomic to use for people of all ages, mental and physical conditions. The product sets itself apart from its competitors by being compact, less medical looking and very easy to use. / Att ta mediciner vid föreskrivna tidpunkter är mycket viktigt för personer med psykiska problem som schizofreni, alzheimers, demens och depressioner. Dock kan deras tillstånd hindra dem från att göra det. De är antingen glömska eller så väljer de att inte ta medicinen avsiktligt. Sådant beteende kan leda till saknad dosering eller överdosering, vilka båda är farliga för personens hälsa. Därmed behövs en pillerask som övervakar doseringen och hindrar dem från att komma åt pillerna vid oönskade tidpunkter. Syftet med examensarbetet har varit att designa en sådan pillerask för företaget Victrix AB i Stockholm, Sverige, genom att utöka sin nuvarande ask, Dosis. I projektet designades låsmekanismen noggrant i faser, genom en ökad förståelse av användarförhållandena, för att hålla locken stängda,. Slutresultatet blev en låst daglig pillerask som är ergonomisk för personer i olika åldrar med mentala och fykiska problem. Produkten skiljer sig från dess konkurrenter genom att vara kompact, inte ha ett typiskt medicinskt utseende samt mycket enkel att använda.

The rapid development of technology in the health-care sector has led to the discovery of many new illnesses and improved treatments that were not possible earlier. However, many treatments and medicines for a specific disease often come with several side effects. The accuracy in treatments with an optimal result on specified targets is therefore desired with minimum side effects. This requires that the production and the usage processes should be precise. The scope of this study is not about the medicine production phase but rather on managing a medicine schedule. How many times a medicine should be taken in a day is strongly related to its dosage and following a precise timing plays a crucial role in the individual’s health. As a solution, a pill box based on a low power display (Electronic Paper Display, EPD) together with an embedded system has been introduced by the project owner (Victrix AB, Stockholm) .The pill box should have some different functions like alarms, data logging and wireless reporting. Different types of alarms including ringtone, vibration and voice recording/playing are required as well. To be able to trace the already planned timing for taking medicines, system will be able to save and report history of the past 100 days. Since every single idea for solving different parts of the problem should be tested in real system, a Quantitative Research based on experiments be used and the best possible solution be selected and implemented in the project. Studying technical material and also related works besides analyzing generated data after each experiment were a useful tool for the system integration in this work. As the result, a pill box based on an embedded system was designed and integrated successfully. A hardware platform, in form of a prototype system based on an ARM microcontroller and a compatible embedded software have been designed, improved and tested successfully and are available. At the end of this work, the low power E-paper display works properly, alarms can be set and activated, data can be saved and also sent wirelessly. Basically, the result of this project shows how an embedded system can be specialized and programmed to be able to interact with patients and e.g. nurses in order to make a stable and continuous connection between them. Most of determined goals have been achieved and some of them be changed and modified during the work. Also a few additional functions and improvements be suggested as future work.

Clinical trials are experiments or observations on a patient’s responses of different medical treatments to cure diseases. Such trials are heavily regulated and must achieve a certain quality standard of the trial and clinical adherence is a determining factor on the success of a study. However, it has historically been difficult to systematically follow and understand patient adherence to medical ordinations, predominately due to lack of proper tools. One new type of tools is a digital pillbox that can be used to supply pills to participants in clinical trials. This paper examines implementing two supervised machine learning models to detect if an object (a pill) is found in an encapsulated compartment (pillbox) based on electromagnetic radiation data from a proximity sensor. Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) were evaluated on a data set of N=1,485 observations, consisting of five classes: four different pills and ‘no pill’. RF performs best with accuracy of 98.0% and weighted average precision of 98.0%. SVM had 97.3% accuracy and 97.6% weighted average precision. Best performance was achieved at N=1,000 for RF and 1,100 for SVM. The conclusion was that a high accuracy and precision can be achieved using either RF or SVM. The classification model strengthens the value proposition of a digital pillbox and can improve clinical trials to achieve better data quality. However, for the model to contribute actual economical value, digital pillboxes must be a common practice in clinical trials. / Kliniska studier är experiment eller observationer av en patients reaktion på olika typer av medicinsk vård för behandling sjukdomar. Sådana studier är tungt reglerade och behöver uppnå en viss kvalitésstandard och klinisk följsamhet är en avgörande faktor för en studies framgång. Trots det har det historiskt varit svårt att systematiskt mäta och förstå en patients följsamhet av en medicinsk ordination, primärt på grund av brist av användbara verktyg. En ny typ av verktyg är en digital  pillerbox som försörjer piller till deltagare i kliniska studier. Denna studie undersöker implementation av två bevakade maskininlärningsmodeller för detektion om ett objekt (ett piller) befinner sig i ett slutet fack baserad på elektromagnetisk strålning från en närhetssensor. Support Vector Machine (SVM) och Random Forest (RF) utvärderades på ett dataset av N=1 485 observationer utgjort av fem klasser: fyra piller och ’inget piller’. RF presterar bäst med 98,0% i träffsäkerhet och 98,0% i viktad medelprecision. SVM fick 97,3% träffsäkerhet och 97,6% viktad medelprecision. Bäst prestation uppnåddes vid N=1 000 för RF och N=1 100 för SVM. Slutsatsen var att en hög träffsäkerhet och precision kan uppnås genom antingen RF eller SVM. Klassificeringsmodellen förstärker en digital pillerbox värdeerbjudande och kan hjälpa kliniska studier att uppnå högre datakvalité. Däremot, för klassificeringsmodellen ska bidra med faktiskt ekonomiskt värde, behöver digitala pillerboxar vara en vedertagen praxis.