Real-Time Fluid Monitoring System Prototype Development Using Load Sensor for Intravenous Infusion Bottle Replacement Management

Abstract

The backbone of contemporary healthcare lies in intravenous (IV) therapy, but human-generated errors during manual monitoring create risks for patients through improper dosing and excessive fluid intake and air embolism. The resulting safety concerns affect patients while simultaneously adding more work to medical teams. This paper introduces a new automated IV fluid monitoring system that leverages Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through the system, two separate load cell sensors work with HX711 amplifier modules to provide accurate weight measurements of IV fluid bottles. The sensor data assessment and remaining fluid volume and infusion time calculation take place within an ESP32 microcontroller before the information is sent to a Firebase cloud database through Wi-Fi connectivity. The system generates three levels of warning through visual and audio cues, which include traffic lights and buzzers to notify fluid level conditions. Users receive real-time status information through a companion mobile application that uses MIT App Inventor to perform remote monitoring and push notifications. By using established reference weights to calibrate the prototype, followed by practical testing, the system achieved a measurement precision with an error margin of less than 5 % across various weight levels. The results of a survey with 26 healthcare professionals confirmed the medical field requires this system because it can decrease mistakes made by staff and boost operational effectiveness together with protecting patients. Hence, the development of this low-cost prototype proves that automated IV infusion management can become a practical solution.