Improving a Low-Cost Intravenous Infusion Flow Rate Monitoring Device for Paediatric Care in Humanitarian Healthcare Settings

Gravity led intravenous infusion therapy is associated with significant error, which can lead to incorrect dosing without adequate monitoring. Capacity for monitoring is limited in humanitarian settings with shortages of medical supplies and personnel, and monitoring being reliant on manual counting or mechanical clamps without safeguards. This particularly poses risks to the health outcomes of paediatric patients. This work builds upon the previous development of a low-cost flow rate monitor. An improved electrical design using open source software tools was implemented. This involved choosing components, designing a schematic and printed circuit board layout. Major changes concerned the integration of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a power path management system, and of flashing functionality via USB-C. The user interface was adapted to allow changes to the number of drops per ml of IV fluid for better calibration. The addition of a rechargeable battery is estimated to reduce device costs to that of a nonrechargeable variant, within 300 charge cycles, and be more widely usable. The focus on open source design, allows for adaptation and replication. Further validation of hardware and software is needed. An updated device housing design is required, in addition to testing and calibration under non-standard conditions.

Grantor dc:publisher

ETH Zurich

Year dc:date

2026

Author dc:creator

• Smith, Fionn; id_orcid0009-0005-0172-5024

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tkaczuk, Jakub; id_orcid0009-0005-0172-5024
• Tilley, Elizabeth; id_orcid0009-0005-0172-5024

• Intravenous therapy; Flow monitoring; Humanitarian health; Paediatric care; PCB; Optical sensor; Battery-powered; Open-source; Low-cost

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
• Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

Licence

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-c-000797700

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.research-collection.ethz.ch:20.500.11850/797700