China man creates AI app to remind his grandfather to take medicines on time

An 18-year-old Shanghai student built an AI app to help his grandfather take medicines on time. The heartwarming project received praise for using technology to address an everyday family need.China man creates AI app to remind grandfather to take medicines on time (Photo: Representational Image from Pexels)An 18-year-old student in China has earned praise online after building an AI-powered app for one deeply personal reason: to make sure his grandfather never misses his medication.According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the teenager, Ma Kai from Shanghai, developed the app to help his grandfather remember to take his medicines on time before he leaves home for university later this year.Ma's story came to light after he was interviewed by the Shanghai Morning Post while attending the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai as a regular visitor. During the interview, he demonstrated the app he had created using MiniCPM, a large language model (LLM) developed by Beijing-based AI company ModelBest.As reported by SCMP, the app does more than send medication reminders. Users can also upload a photo of a medicine's packaging, allowing the system to check whether it has expired. If an expired medicine is detected, the app issues a loud voice warning telling the user not to consume it. Speaking about the project, Ma said he had attended the AI conference specifically because experts from ModelBest were present, and he wanted to ask them questions about improving his application.He also acknowledged that the project was still in its early stages, describing it as "comprising just some lines of code." The motivation behind the app, however, was far more personal than technical.According to SCMP, Ma was raised by his grandfather, who is now in his 70s, and the two share a close bond. Having recently completed China's national university entrance examination, the gaokao, Ma is expected to begin university in another city this September.The prospect of leaving his grandfather, who lives alone and has underlying medical conditions, prompted him to look for a practical solution."My grandpa has some underlying medical conditions and needs to take his medications regularly. There is absolutely no room for carelessness," Ma was quoted as saying.He explained that he worried his grandfather's poor memory could lead him to forget his medicines, mix them up, or accidentally consume expired medication. "I developed this app to help remind my grandpa of his medication schedule," he added.The heartwarming story spread across Chinese social media, where many people praised the teenager for using artificial intelligence to solve a real-life family problem.Several users admired his thoughtfulness and said the app showed how technology could be used to care for loved ones, while others hoped he would continue developing the project, so more elderly people could benefit from it.Many also described the idea as a touching example of how innovation becomes even more meaningful when driven by love and responsibility rather than convenience alone.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Jul 29, 2026 20:25 IST