AllyIQ Medical Locker

Medication storage solutions are often unintuitive, causing user errors that compromise security and inventory tracking

AllyGPO specializes in Group Purchase Orders for oncology clinics, offering a catalog of cancer treatment drugs. While GPO companies typically bundle cabinets with their inventory and software, AllyGPO's existing option of white-label lockers offered no opportunity for differentiation against competitors.

AllyGPO wanted a custom-built, smart medication cabinet to integrate with their inventory software and stand out as a compelling reason for clinics to switch to their platform. The client approached us excited about many possible feature ideas for the cabinet. We helped refine these ideas into a solution grounded in user needs, balancing features, cost, and feasibility. Ovyl took on the design, engineering, and manufacturing to bring the cabinet to market.

Grounding innovation in practical user insights

Understanding the User Experience and Clinical Context

We conducted in-depth user research by visiting clinics, interviewing staff, and observing workflows. This allowed us to identify pain points and create design requirements that addressed real user needs.

A significant insight emerged: Many clinics leave their smart cabinet doors unlocked, negating the purpose of tech-enabled storage. When medications are moved without software updates, existing systems cannot accurately track their location, leading to frustrating searches for medications during an already busy workday. To save time, nurses bypass the locks entirely. This inspired us to ask, “Could we solve a software problem with hardware?” — an exploration that ultimately led to tracking movable bins rather than individual medications.

Concept Exploration and Validation

We started by creating functional prototypes to test drawer systems, utilizing 3D-printed trays and readily available slides to confirm the design's mechanics and usability. The team then designed a modular bin system grounded in a mathematical grid, facilitating multiple configurations with minimal hardware modifications. 

The electrical design started with CAN bus protocols but iterated to find more cost-effective solutions for bin tracking, ensuring accurate data collection regardless of bin position or wire length. For usability, we prototyped LED wayfinding lights that guide users directly to the correct medication bin, simplifying interaction.

Collaboration across mechanical, hardware, and firmware teams was critical to ensuring that all components worked harmoniously.

A Smarter Approach to Simplify Medication Workflows

The final cabinet combines intuitive design and innovative features to transform medication workflows:

• Full-Extension Doors and Shelves: Easy medication access without awkward leaning or reaching.
• Smart Bin Tracking: Automatically updates medication location when bins are moved, eliminating manual updates and user frustration.
• Wayfinding LED Lights: Guides users directly to the correct bin, reducing time spent searching.
• Inventory Insights: Accurate tracking of medication levels improves restocking efficiency and offers actionable usage data for purchase planning.
• Calm, Thoughtful Design: A vertical drawer layout, soft-close slides, and a warm, rich blue exterior provide a quiet, calming presence in busy clinical environments.

Unlike competitors, AllyGPO’s cabinet doesn’t just lock medications; it streamlines workflows, reduces human error, and saves valuable time for nurses and techs. It’s more than a storage locker—it’s a smarter, more efficient system for managing critical medications.

Sourcing and Manufacturing From Vision to Reality

Delivering a complex product like AllyGPO’s cabinet required precision at every step. Despite its clean, simple exterior, the cabinet houses over 250 PCBs and countless precise tolerances under the hood. 

To meet these demands, Ovyl partnered with top-tier toolmakers to ensure accuracy across every component. We engaged the factory early in the design process, leveraging their expertise to inform decisions and optimize for manufacturing. Our overseas team maintained constant contact with the factory, overseeing tooling reviews, quality inspections, and production milestones to ensure on-time delivery.

Ongoing Support & Long-Term Partnership 

As AllyGPO’s long-term partner, we continue managing production orders and collaborating to forecast future production needs. We also provide ongoing firmware and software support based on feedback from the field.