A PhD student at Semmelweis University has won the BoschxRichter Industrial Innovation Award in healthcare for developing an AI-supported smart medicine dispenser designed to help elderly patients and people living with dementia.
Marianna Matányi’s tabletop device supports accurate medication dosing, communicates with patients, and sends updates to family members. The goal is simple but urgent: reducing the health risks caused by missed or incorrect medication.
The idea grew out of personal experience. Matányi’s grandmother required home care after suffering a stroke, and her condition was further complicated by dementia. Managing her medication became a daily responsibility for the family.
“Organizing and monitoring the medication schedule required constant attention,” Matányi said. “I wanted to create something that could ease this burden for families.”
Her interest in medical technology began much earlier, during a high school scholarship project focused on a neurological diagnostic device. As she continued refining the project and analyzing data, her work began attracting professional attention. Later, as a medical student at Semmelweis University, she joined the Hungarian Startup University Program (HSUP), where students were encouraged to develop and implement innovative ideas.
It was within this framework that the smart dispenser project took shape. Matányi was selected to build a team and further develop the concept. The project soon gained momentum. In 2022, the team won first place at the “Health for the Future” Conference and Startup Competition. This year, they added another major recognition: the BoschxRichter Industrial Innovation Award.
The award was established by the Bosch Group and Gedeon Richter Plc. to encourage university students to develop forward-looking solutions in healthcare and mobility.
The development team currently includes economist Klára Lilla Lipták-Fehér, who oversees marketing and financial planning, and engineer Tamás László Varga-Bodrogi, who is responsible for technical design. A working prototype has already been 3D printed, and the software is under continuous development.
The device has a modular structure, meaning it can be expanded depending on the number and type of medications needed. A display provides written, audio, or visual instructions. After confirming that the medication has been taken, the system can deliver encouraging messages from relatives. Family members can also send personalized content, such as voice recordings or drawings, through a connected mobile application.
Relatives use the app to schedule doses and monitor adherence. The device itself checks whether the correct medication has been placed on the tray, helping prevent errors. According to Matányi, designing the dispensing mechanism has been one of the most demanding aspects of the project.
“There are many different pill shapes on the market,” she explained. “We collected samples of medicines available in Hungary and tested them extensively. We’ve had to refine the mechanism week by week.”
The development of the prototype and software has already required several million forints, covered mainly through university grants and competition awards. However, bringing the product to market will require significantly more funding.
“Medical devices must meet very strict regulatory requirements before they can be sold,” Matányi noted. “If everything goes according to plan, the dispenser could one day be available across Europe.”
She estimates that market entry could require tens or even hundreds of millions of forints in investment. The team hopes that their awards and recognitions will help attract future investors.
Alongside leading the project, Matányi is pursuing her PhD at the János Szentágothai Neurosciences Division of Semmelweis University’s Doctoral College. She is also affiliated with the Cerebral Cortex Research Group at the HUN-REN Institute of Experimental Medicine and has clinical experience in neurosurgery.
Balancing research and entrepreneurship is demanding, but she continues to oversee financial planning and team coordination while advancing her academic career. Her interest in organizing and leadership, she says, stems from earlier experiences, including coordinating children’s camps and working as a volunteer event organizer.
With two major innovation awards behind her, Matányi’s project highlights how personal motivation, academic research, and entrepreneurial thinking can come together to address real-world healthcare challenges.
Source: Semmelweis University
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