First-Aid Dispenser

Picture this: You and your friends are playing basketball at the park. As you take a jump shot, you collide with another player and land hard, scraping your knee. You realize you don’t have any first-aid supplies on hand. What do you do?

That type of scenario bothered Taylor Rosenthal, a 16-year-old from Alabama. He wanted to make first-aid supplies readily available in locations where people might get hurt. Taylor came up with an invention: a vending machine that dispenses first-aid kits, called RecMed. Each machine has bandages, antibiotic ointments, and antiseptic wipes—everything you’d need to treat a minor injury.

Taylor worked on the concept for 10 months. He then filed a patent for RecMed and was granted the exclusive rights to his invention (see Patenting an Invention). Taylor worked with local investors to fund RecMed’s development and now has his own company. Science World spoke with Taylor to find out just what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

My original idea was a pop-up shop at sporting events that would sell customized first-aid kits for minor medical problems, like nosebleeds, sunburns, or scraped knees. I quickly realized that paying a person to staff the shop wouldn’t be cost effective, so I changed my focus to a vending machine concept.

I partnered with a mechanical engineer to develop a prototype, or preliminary model. I told the engineer exactly what I wanted the machine to be able to do and how I wanted it to look. Together, we figured out what moving parts and computer software the machine would need. I hope to begin testing a working model by January of 2018.

We want to place machines at athletic fields and indoor sports complexes, but also in high-traffic areas, like airports and theme parks, where people may get injured and need fast, easy access to first aid. Customers can buy kits for specific injuries or choose to customize their own kits by selecting different supplies.

Right now, there are several prototypes of the machine. We also recently filed a patent on a new multipurpose design that can dispense differently sized items. It can sell everything from office supplies to snacks, not just first-aid kits.

Yes, I’m also working on a medication dispenser, called RX Pill Machine, that a person can use at home. It’s programmed to notify a person that it’s time to take medication and to distribute the proper dosage. It can also send reminders to family members or caregivers. I have a working prototype built and have begun the patent process.

If you have an idea or a dream, pursue it. Don’t just take no for an answer. If you don’t know how to turn your idea into a reality, find someone who can help you take your plans to the next level. Don’t be afraid that you’re too young or that your idea might not be good enough to be a success—you’ll never know until you try!