Rapid Prototyping of a GUI-based Alert System for Pressure Infusion Bags using MicroPython and LVGL

Main Article Content

Supachai Vorapojpisut
Ammaraporn Nakhowong

Abstract

The use of pressure infusion bags is a common approach in vascular procedures, creating positive pressure within the tubing and catheter system. However, when the fluid is depleted, there is a risk of air entering the system, potentially leading to air embolism. This paper presents a rapid prototyping framework for developing a fluid level alert system for pressure infusion bags, aiming to evaluate the feasibility of the concept prior to medical device development. The prototype is constructed using off-the-shelf hardware, including an M5Stack Tab5 board, a load cell, and a sensor interfacing module. The firmware is developed using MicroPython and the LVGL graphics library with the UIFlow2.0 web-based platform for initial GUI development, followed by direct refinement of the system logic within the code. The prototype system can display key information, including total infused volume, remaining fluid volume, estimated remaining infusion time, and the number of fluid bottles used. These features enhance procedural safety and support timely and appropriate clinical decision-making. User satisfaction was evaluated among 22 physicians and nurses working in interventional procedure rooms. The results indicated a high level of satisfaction with an overall mean score of 4.37 (S.D. = 0.60).

Article Details

Section
Research Articles

References

O. Balaban, H. Walia, D. Tumin, T. Bhalla and J. D. Tobias, “Efficacy of Rapid Fluid Administration Using Various Setups and Devices,” Pediatric Emergency Care, Vol. 35, No. 8, pp. 539–543, 2019.

U. Salmaz, M. A. H. Ahsan and T. Islam, “High-Precision Capacitive Sensors for Intravenous Fluid Monitoring in Hospitals,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 70, pp. 1–9, 2021.

N. Giaquinto, M. Scarpetta, M. A. Ragolia and P. Pappalardi, “Real-time drip infusion monitoring through a computer vision system,” Proc. of the 2020 IEEE Int. Symposium on Medical Measurements and Applications (MeMeA), Bari, Italy, pp. 1–5, 2020.

K. Sreekumar, J. Francis and B. R. Prathap, “Smart Intravenous Infusion Monitoring and Alert System using IoT-based Force Sensitive Resistor and Whatabot API,” Proc. of the 2023 IEEE Int. Conf. on Contemporary Computing and Communications (InC4), Bangalore, India, pp. 1–6, 2023.

L. Tejkl, M. Kucera, P. Kudrna and J. Rafl, “System for Automatic Pressure Control as an Alternative to the Infusion Pressure Cuff,” Proc. of the 2022 E-Health and Bioengineering Conference (EHB), Iasi, Romania, pp. 1–4, 2022.