What feature primarily defines a modern 'smart' system compared to earlier simple alarms?

Notifying a designated caregiver if doses are consistently missed.

The capability to notify a designated caregiver if doses are consistently missed is identified as a defining feature that differentiates modern 'smart' systems from their predecessors, such as simple alarms or early connected communicators. Simple alarms operate as a one-way communication method directed solely at the patient. In contrast, connected monitoring systems establish a crucial feedback loop: the patient is reminded, interacts (or fails to interact) with the device or application, the system logs this action, and a non-action triggers an escalation process, such as alerting a caregiver. This creation of a two-way loop involving external stakeholders is central to the intelligence of current adherence platforms.