Southwestern University student says great-grandmother inspired making of device shown at CES

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Saturday, January 13, 2018
Houston area college student introduces new medical tech at CES
Houston area college student introduces new medical tech at CES

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KTRK) -- One of the biggest technology events in the world, CES, is wrapping up in Las Vegas.

A college student from Houston won the opportunity to show off his personal invention on the exhibit floor.

His invention is called a Remote Medication Dispenser, or a Smart Medication Dispenser. It's not finished yet, but it is designed to send reminders to take medication and allow caretakers to know when patients have missed a dose.

Stratford High School graduate Cameron Henkel and his sister, Sarah, told Eyewitness News how their great grandmother, "Mamaw," is the inspiration for the project. He wants to help older adults maintain independent living.

"Our grandmother would complain that our great grandmother, Mamaw, hadn't taken her meds this morning, or couldn't remember if she had taken them," Henkel said. "A device like this that would track whether she had taken it in the morning or at night would really give peace of mind that she's getting the medication she needs."

Sadly, Mamaw passed away over the holiday, but Henkel says he'll keep working on it.

He's a computer science major at Southwestern University in Georgetown. He won the chance to go to CES over dozens of other competitors in a contest sponsored by Sigma Designs.

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