Sasha: Connected Medication Management Device

The design process began when our founder learned about Australia’s pharmacist-packed medication sachet system. It sparked the question: what if these could be stored, released and tracked through a single smart robot?

Our goal was a design that felt approachable - familiar enough to sit beside a bed, and simple enough for older adults to use without fear. We began with in-depth research and sketch development, followed by block models to explore the form and function.

We developed iterative prototypes, including a major engineering shift from a complex piston mechanism to a smoother tray-based delivery system. Along the way, we refined ergonomics, improved manufacturability, and separated the computing and mechanical components to simplify servicing and maintenance.

From there, we tested early versions in home settings. We wanted users ranging in age to be able to use Sasha, which influenced the simple scan, tear, scan usability model.

A key turning point came during trials at TLC Aged Care, a leading Victorian aged care provider. Observing how medication was managed in practice directly shaped Sasha’s final design. Nurses began using Sasha during dose rounds, replacing the need to push medication trolleys from room to room.

The data Sasha collected helped us create tailored analytical reports aligned with what providers and staff actually needed. We also discovered that fingerprint recognition can be unreliable in older adults, so we introduced RFID access as an alternative. Additionally, we expanded both the hardware and software to safely support PRN medications.

Each stage involved feedback from real users, which informed both physical and digital design.

Now, after being tested, rebuilt and refined across multiple care settings, Sasha is successfully being used across Australia. Not only does Sasha make medication routines safe and simple, but it also helps providers strengthen clinical governance, reduce risk, and improve operational efficiency.

Sasha exemplifies what good design looks like in health technology. Created to solve a critical issue - safe and consistent medication adherence - it delivers functionality, safety, accessibility, and quality in one cohesive and intuitive system.

Every design decision was grounded in real-world use. Older adults, children, families, care workers, nurses, pharmacists, and providers all informed its development. The result: a device that genuinely meets the needs of every user, in any care setting.

Sasha’s physical design is deliberately pared back. It features minimal buttons, no screens, and clear light and audio prompts. This simplicity makes it usable for anyone, including those with diverse needs such as low digital literacy or cognitive decline. Biometric security enables safe administration, while features like multilingual audio options ensure accessibility.

Sasha swaps the bulky, clinical look of traditional medical devices for a sleek, modern design that blends into any environment, whether bedside or bench top. Weighing just 850g, it’s easy to move and use, without sacrificing durability.

Behind the aesthetics is robust engineering. The device is tamper-resistant, with quality materials that are built to last. Internal components are modular and can be serviced without specialist tools. The cloud-connected software is secure, reliable, and continuously updated.

Sasha sets a new benchmark for design excellence in Victoria by showing how significant health challenges can be solved through smart, human-centred design. It’s proof that when we invest in good design, we get better quality of care, better outcomes, and better well-being.

Sasha solves a longstanding problem in healthcare: how to ensure medication is not just prescribed and dispensed, but actually taken safely and consistently. Where most products target single points in the process, Sasha addresses the full cycle of adherence, combining timing, access, identity, verification, and reporting in one connected system.

Sashas innovation doesn’t hinge on a single feature, but on how it brings multiple elements together into a seamless, user-friendly experience. It bridges pharmacy workflows, care routines, and patient realities without adding friction. Every interaction has been pared back to its essentials: a prompt, a scan, a sachet, a scan.

Unlike traditional medication tools, Sasha doesnt rely on the users memory or manual tracking. It verifies each dose and shares that data in real time with care teams or family members. This visibility helps prevent missed doses, flags potential medication issues earlier, and provides a new layer of safety and support.

A particularly novel outcome of the design process was Sasha’s ability to support PRN (as-needed) medications. Often overlooked in adherence tools, PRNs are clinically complex and high-risk. Sasha allows users to access PRNs within safe, preset limits, locking them out if thresholds are exceeded. If multiple attempts fall outside those limits, care teams are automatically alerted, prompting timely intervention or review. This sets a new benchmark for PRN monitoring in care settings.

Most importantly, the innovation is grounded in empathy. Sasha was designed through real-world testing in home care and aged care environments, with input from users who are often excluded from design decisions. The result is a device that is intelligent without being intimidating.

Sasha confirms that the right tech doesn’t complicate care or make it less personal. It strengthens it, bringing safety, visibility, and time back into stretched care routines.

In residential aged care, Sasha replaces the traditional medication trolley. Instead of nurses wheeling doses from room to room and handling them manually, each resident has their own Sasha device at the bedside. Dose rounds are faster, safer, and more accurate, with every interaction time-stamped, traceable, and assigned. Some residents can self-administer, while care teams monitor adherence remotely and receive alerts when intervention is needed.

In its first 90-day trial in a residential aged care facility, Sasha reduced the time it took to complete a medication round by an average of 30%, achieved 97% compliance, and prevented 99 non-compliant PRN requests. For providers, this means fewer incidents, stronger governance, and more time for the care tasks that truly matter. For individuals, it means dignity, safety, and choice.

Its impact extends into home care, where Sasha supports people to age in place for longer. Families receive updates, providers improve oversight, and care can be delivered with fewer gaps or risks.

Since launch, Sasha has expanded across Australia, with providers seeing it not just as a compliance tool but as a strategic investment, helping them meet higher standards without burning out staff or compromising care.

There are environmental and economic benefits too. Sasha reduces medication waste and preventable hospital admissions, easing pressure on both the health system and the environment. Its modular design supports servicing and repair, extending product life and reducing unnecessary disposal.

By solving a complex problem with great design, Sasha reflects the calibre of innovation Victoria is known for. Born here, built here, and now improving care across Australia, it strengthens Victoria’s reputation for design excellence and creative leadership.