Project Overview

In the intensive care areas, critically ill patients can be attached to several intravenous (IV) tubes for simultaneously delivery of intravenous medication. To safely manage multiple IV tubes, it is vital that the intravenous drugs or pumps are associated with the right IV tubes. A common practice is to use ad hoc tapes to note which IV line is connected to the pump. ad hoc written tags are prone to mistakes and become lost in a heap of IV lines. Attempts to market permanently tagged or color-coded IV tubes failed because it is inconvenient and difficult to manage logistically. A suggestion to solve this problem is to use a light source to selectively illuminate the IV tube to be recognized. Although IV lines are made of clear plastic, they are poor transmitters of light. The goal of the project is to design a method and/or compatible material to realize such a solution. Alternatively, electrical wires may be embedded into the IV lines to facilitate such identification through electrical signals.

Contact Information

Team Members

Advisor and Client

• Dr. Robert Tham - Client