ConfiDose: A Nonvisual Syringe System for Accessible Liquid Medication Measurement

Presenter Information

Norah Delaney, Riley Davis, Alexis Mulroy, Teresa Steffens, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duquesne University

Abstract

Low vision individuals face significant challenges in liquid medication measurement, given that standard syringes rely on visual confirmation of volume. Current assistive devices lack reliable nonvisual feedback, which poses a serious risk when administering medication to oneself, a child, or a service animal, underscoring the need for an improved accessible option. This issue could be solved with our proposed device ConfiDose, a syringe attachment that provides continuous, nonvisual feedback for liquid medication measurement. ConfiDose integrates a color sensor attached to the overhang of a plunger attachment that detects color-coded volume markings along the syringe barrel as the syringe is aspirated. The registered color markings are then converted to an audio output to alert the user of the current measurement in real time as the user draws up medication. In addition to the hardware, ConfiDose’s companion app enables users to log and track medication and was built with accessibility practices. The dual approach ensures that both the act of measuring and managing medication is accessible to low vision users. Initially, testing demonstrated that ConfiDose could reliably detect volume changes in 5 mL increments with simple audio feedback recognizable to the user. The program shows promise for improvement in precision to 1 mL increments. Additionally, 3D modeling of the attachment was shown to be successful via a functionally printed product, indicating feasibility in the 2 reproduction of the device. ConfiDose embodies a step toward inclusive healthcare technology by enabling low vision individuals to independently and accurately measure liquid medications.

School

Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine

Submission Type

Paper

Additional Files
Norah Delaney-permission form.pdf (147 kB)
Approval Form

This document is currently not available here.

Additional files available below

Share

COinS