Rice 360In developing countries there is often no affordable, reliable solution for monitoring and controlling intravenous therapy (IV). Though IV therapy is a vital component of healthcare clinics are often understaffed and cannot continuously monitor IV fluid administration to patients. If a clamp slips, or if the IV line becomes kinked, an improper amount of fluid can be given to the patient. This is dangerous for small children, who are often connected to adult sized IV bags, and can easily die from over-hydration.
Appropriate Solution
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An interdisciplinary group of bioengineers and electrical engineers developed a device that can clip onto a standard IV drip chamber to monitor the infusion drip rate of the IV and adjust it through physical clamping. The physician would set the drip rate and volume to be infused. Infra red sensors would then detect each drop of fluid and a motorized clamp would control the rate of fluid flow and adjust it accordingly. The project was mentored by Dr. Oden, Dr. Zhong and Dr. Wise.
Current Status
Currently, the device is being optimized to reduce power consumption, improve efficiency, and streamline the design. Patent applications for the IV Drip Monitor have been filed.
