Engineering Design Conference

The Automated Medication Dispense Unit is a simulation-based medication storage and dispensing system designed for use in the Grand Valley State University Interprofessional Simulation Center. The system replicates key functions of commercial automated dispensing cabinets, such as medication inventory tracking, user authentication, guided medication retrieval, and controlled-substance waste management, at a significantly lower cost.
The unit consists of a custom-built cabinet containing electronically controlled medication drawers, a touchscreen user interface, a barcode scanner, and a simulated biometric authentication system. A Raspberry Pi manages the graphical user interface and inventory database, while an STM Nucleo microcontroller controls hardware functions including drawer locking, drawer ejection, and sensor monitoring.
The system is intended to provide nursing and healthcare students with realistic medication-handling experiences in a safe educational environment. By simulating common dispensing workflows, the unit helps students develop familiarity with automated medication dispensing systems before entering clinical practice.

The mission of the Kirkhof College of Nursing is to provide quality nursing education to a diverse population of students. Kirkhof College of Nursing strives to improve the well-being of people through leadership in nursing education, professional practice and scholarship