Design and Development of a Low-Cost Multifunctional Medical Device with Integrated Syringe Pump and Remote Access.

Abstract

Contemporary healthcare technologies for patient monitoring and precision drug delivery have proliferated globally, yet their elevated costs render them inaccessible in resource-constrained settings. This research introduces a low-cost, multifunctional IoT-enabled medical device that seamlessly integrates an automated syringe pump with real-time monitoring of vital parameters—body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO)—alongside remote control capabilities. By unifying these functions into a single platform, the device eliminates equipment multiplicity, streamlines clinical workflows, and facilitates efficient management during routine care and emergencies. The system leverages a microcontroller-driven motor with a lead screw mechanism for syringe actuation, coupled with cost-effective off-the-shelf sensors, ensuring high precision and affordability. Rigorous validation against international standards confirmed superior performance: the syringe pump delivered ±1.67% volumetric accuracy and ±3.94% temporal accuracy (IEC 60601–2–24 compliant), while monitoring achieved heart rate precision of ±1.82 bpm, SpO2 accuracy of ±0.85–0.92%, and temperature accuracy of ±0.56–0.85°C (ISO 80601–2–61 compliant). All safety protocols, including occlusion detection and emergency stops, demonstrated 100% reliability. This innovation provides a scalable, accurate solution to enhance patient safety and care accessibility in low-resource healthcare environments.