AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 25 January 2019 (25.01.2019)

1. A drop counter for a vision-impaired user, suitable for counting a number of drops of a liquid substance, particularly medicinal substances, characterised by comprising: a container (10) for collecting the drops (11);

a sensor (15) for detecting the drops (11), the sensor (15) being configured to generate drop detecting signals (SR);

a process unit (16) operatively connected to the sensor (15), the process unit (16) being configured with an algorithm suitable to generate counting signals (SC) co- related to the drop detecting signals (SR) emitted by the sensor (15); and

an audio module (18) provided with a sound transducer (19), operatively connected to the process unit (16), the audio module (18) being configured to provide, by the sound transducer (19), sound (SO) or voice (SV) drop counting signals of the drops (11) co-related to the counting signals (SC) generated by the process unit (16);

characterised in that:

the container (10) for collecting the drops (11) has a bottom (14) configured with drop falling zone, in which the drops (11) are delivered by the user using a conventional pipette or a bottle provided with a drop dispenser; and

in which the sensor (15) is a capacitive sensor positioned in correspondence of a drop falling zone on the bottom (14) of drop container (10).

2. The drop counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the capacitive sensor (15) comprises first (36) and second (37) opposite electrodes, positioned on a common laying surface (38) in dielectric material, the capacitive sensor (15) being positioned in correspondence of drop falling zone of the bottom (14) of the container (10).

3. The drop counter according to claim 1 or 2, characterised by comprising a comb shaped capacitive sensor (15).

4. The drop counter according to claim 3, characterised in that the capacitive sensor (15) comprises first and second comb shaped electrodes (36, 37), in which the space 15

(LI) between the teeth (36', 37') defining conductive paths, and the space (L2) between the conductive paths of the two electrodes (36, 37) are comprised in a range between 0,2 mm and 10 mm. 5. The drop counter according to claim 1, characterised by comprising an user module (20) operatively connected to the process unit (16), the user module (20) being provided with differently shaped control push buttons (21, 22, 23).

6. The drop counter according to claim 1, characterised by comprising a control touch screen (24) operatively connected to the process unit (16).

7. The drop counter according to one or more preceding claims, characterised in that the drop container (10) comprises a bottom (14) and a peripheral wall having a conical inner surface (10') diverging from an upper aperture (10") to the bottom (14) of the drop container (10).

8. The drop counter according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the process unit (16) and the sound module (18) are housed in a separate box (28), in respect to the drop container (10), and in that the box (28) for housing the process unit (16) and the sound module (18) comprises an upper surface configured with a seat (31) for positioning and centring the bottom (14) of the drop container (10).

9. The drop counter according to claim 8, characterised in that the bottom (14) of the drop container (10) and the positioning seat (31) on the upper surface of the box (28) for housing the process unit (16) and the sound module (18), are provided with mechanical or magnetic positioning means.

10. The drop counter according to claim 9, characterised in that the magnetic positioning means comprises at least one permanent magnet (35) on the bottom (14) of the drop container (10), and a corresponding permanent magnet (34) on the seat (31) of the housing box (38) for the process unit (16) and sound module (18), in which the magnets (34, 35) have facing magnetic poles of opposite polarities. 16

11. The drop counter according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the drop container (10) is consisting of a cup-shaped container having the bottom (14) configured for housing the capacitive sensor (15), the process unit (16), the sound module (18) and the user interface (20).

12. The drop counter according to one or more claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the drop container (10) is consisting of a spoon shaped container in which the capacitive sensor (15) is housed in the hollow bottom of the spoon, and in which the process unit (16), the sound module (18) and the user interface (20) are housed in a cover (28') of the handle of the spoon.

13. The drop counter according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the process unit (16) is configured with a program comprising a guide procedure for the use by a vision-impaired people.

14. The drop counter according to claim 1, characterised by comprising a wireless communication module (12) operatively connected to the process unit (16). 15. The drop counter according to claim 1, characterised in that the process unit (16) and the audio module (18) are arranged in a housing box (28) configured with a support seat (31) for the drop container (10); and in which the drop container (10) is removably positionable on the support seat (31), and is cup or spoon shaped to directly assume the drops (11) in the container (10) by vision-impaired people.