Since developing my project and setting up the website, I have made the initial prototype (shown on the SIP page), and started the process of determining how to move forward.
I purchased an already available dispenser to look at the pump mechanism. The mechanism is simple enough and I plan on using the pump itself in my final prototype to prevent "re-inventing the wheel."
The part I have been stuck on was the design of the sensor/motor control circuit. I originally started evaluating the the schematics of hand sanitizer proximity sensors and how they worked. In all cases, I was thinking about the control of the project as an analog circuit.
I have recently started a course on ARM architecture and language. The start of this course gave me a different direction to develop the control circuitry. I am going to use the ARM course and learn to use an Arduino controller for the sensor and motor controller. Once I have the Arduino set up, I will design a case to hold everything in place for testing.