Abstract:
Intravenous (IV) therapy remains a cornerstone of inpatient medical treatment. However, in
overcrowded hospitals, manual monitoring is prone to human error, delays, and safety risks such
as over-infusion, under-infusion, or air embolism. This project presents the design and
implementation of a low-cost, real-time IV infusion monitoring system with direct flow rate
control and automated safety stoppage, tailored for over crowed public hospitals. Utilizing a LoRa
WAN network, the system wirelessly transmits real-time data on flow rate and volume infused,
ensuring remote monitoring across hospital wards. Key components include an IR sensor for
accurate drop detection, a servo motor for automated tube clamping, a microcontroller for control
logic, and a user interface for inputting parameters. Safety mechanisms such as flow anomaly
alarms, occlusion detection, and automatic shutoff are integrated to enhance patient safety. The
system demonstrated reliable performance in both open field and indoor environments. The system
demonstrated reliable performance in both open field and indoor environments, achieving a
maximum wireless transmission range of up to 5000 meters in open spaces and 346 meters indoors.
Despite challenges like signal attenuation, the system maintained a flow rate accuracy of 96.75%,
as confirmed through repeated comparison with manual measurements. This innovation significantly reduces nurse workload, increases efficiency, and enhances patient care in resource constrained healthcare environments.
