How do pill counters work?

Question

So i started working at a pharmacy.... and they have those pill counters that as you pour in any size pill, it counts how many have entered.... How does it know, is it lasers? or is it something like the milikin experiment?

Answer 1

There is disclosed a batch counter for tablets and tablet-like items comprising a hopper with a wide bottom opening for a supply of the items to be counted. A channel member is adapted to channel the items from the hopper to a counter device so as to pass in single file and spaced apart at the counter device so that the counter device can count the passage of individual items from the hopper. The channel member comprises a lightweight, vibratory, V-section guide channel resiliently suspended, downwardly inclined towards the counter device, beneath the bottom opening and adjusted at critical inclination for the flow of the items.