DripOMeter: An open-source opto-electronic system for intravenous (IV) infusion monitoring

Intravenous (IV) infusion is a common medical procedure which involves the administration of fluids directly into the blood stream typically through a vein in the arm of the patient. Though gravity fed IV-drip is a safe, effective and an affordable tool, yet several complications can arise in its usage and thus requires constant monitoring. In this paper, a solution is presented for infusion monitoring based on detection of drops falling through the drip chamber. The system presented here accurately tracks the fluid flow and assists the users in monitoring the infusion sessions. The system generates alarm upon detecting significant deviation from set drip rate. The system keeps track of total volume infused and alerts when a desired volume is about to be administered. The device offers a solution to reduce the risks associated with the IV infusion therapy especially in low-resource setting and provide peace of mind to caregivers.