IV Bag Monitoring System
IoT fluid-level monitoring with real-time nurse alerts
- ESP32
- IoT
- Embedded Systems
- Sensors
Problem Statement
In busy hospital wards, an unnoticed empty IV bag risks backflow and patient discomfort, since manual checks depend entirely on nurse availability.
Objectives
- Continuously measure remaining IV fluid without contaminating the fluid path.
- Alert staff remotely before the bag empties.
- Keep the unit inexpensive, reusable and easy to mount.
Hardware Used
- ESP32 microcontroller
- Load/level sensing module
- Buzzer alert
- Li-ion power module
Software Used
- Embedded C
- Arduino framework
- Wi-Fi/IoT messaging
- Dashboard UI
System Architecture
- Sensing: level sensor output is filtered on-device.
- Edge logic: ESP32 firmware applies calibration and threshold logic.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi publishes telemetry to the monitoring dashboard.
- Alerting: local buzzer plus remote notification to the nurse station.
Challenges
- Sensor noise from bag movement and IV stand vibration.
- Reliable Wi-Fi reconnection inside ward environments.
Solutions
- Implemented moving-average filtering and hysteresis on thresholds.
- Added auto-reconnect and buffered retry logic in firmware.
Key Features
- Continuous fluid-level sensing
- Wi-Fi telemetry to a nurse dashboard
- Threshold-based audible and remote alerts
- Low-power ESP32 firmware
- Compact, clamp-on mechanical design
Future Improvements
- Multi-bed dashboard with ward-level analytics.
- Drip-rate estimation and infusion time prediction.
- Battery telemetry and medical-grade enclosure.