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Intravenous (IV) therapy is the backbone of modern healthcare, yet it remains surprisingly manual in most hospitals worldwide. Nurses are forced to visually check drip rates and fluid levels, a task that is time-consuming, error-prone, and exhausting. This leads to three critical problems: over-infusion/under-infusion errors, nurse workload & burnout, and compromised patient safety. Existing infusion pumps solve these issues but are expensive, bulky, and not widely available in low-resource hospitals or for home-based patients.
Solution:
I propose a smart yet low cost IV Drip Monitoring and Automated Control System, powered by IoT and automation
Technical Design:
An IR sensor continuously monitors drip rates with high accuracy and sends the data to the microcontroller, when the microcontroller detects there is some change in rate of flow, it will automatically correct it without any human interaction. If it detects any abnormalities, doctor or nurse will get notified immediately with multiple warnings. Also the app allows doctors to monitor multiple patients data at one place and can also control the flow individually on his finger tips.
Details about technicalities are mentioned in the PDF attached below.
Actuators:
A micro-valve mechanism controls the flow automatically based on doctor-set parameters.
Connectivity:
Data is transmitted securely to a cloud platform via wifi or even BLE can be used in remote places where wifi isn't availble and can be accessible via mobile & web apps.
Features:
- Real-time flow monitoring.
- Automated shutoff in emergencies.
- Custom alerts to mobile devices (low fluid, abnormal rate, blockages).
- Data logging for compliance, analytics, and better treatment planning.
This system is designed to be portable, affordable, and user-friendly, unlike conventional infusion pumps that require extensive training.
Business Opportunity:
The global IV infusion pump market is projected to reach $15–18 billion by 2030. Yet, more than 80% of hospitals in developing nations still rely on manual IV drip monitoring. Our device bridges this gap with a low-cost alternative that delivers 95% of the functionality at 30–40% of the cost. Being a low cost and easy to install model, small healthcare centers and also household patients would definitely prefer to buy this.
Target Customers:
- Hospitals & Clinics – to reduce nurse workload and improve patient safety.
- Home Healthcare Providers – enabling safer chronic care (e.g., cancer, kidney, diabetes).
- Rural/Low-resource Facilities – where affordability and ease of use are crucial.
Revenue Model:
- Direct Device Sales to hospitals and distributors.
- Subscription Model for app-based analytics and cloud services.
- B2B Partnerships with healthcare providers and government health programs.
Impact:
- Patients: Safer, more reliable IV therapy and reduced adverse events.
- Nurses/Doctors: Lower workload, faster response to complications.
- Healthcare Systems: Reduced errors, shorter hospital stays, and higher trust.
Why This Matters:
Millions of IV procedures occur daily, yet manual monitoring is still a weak link in healthcare. By leveraging IoT, automation, and smart sensors, this system transforms IV therapy into a safer, more efficient, and more accessible process worldwide.
This idea was already presented by my team in Innothon event which recently happend in Mahindra University conducted by IET. (Event Details)
You can go through this PDF for more details.
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