Autoclave Temperature and Pressure monitor
ABOUT
Autoclaves are devices that sterilize medical equipment using heated steam held at high pressure over a certain period of time. Sterility of medical equipment, especially tools used during surgery, is critical to limiting the amount of bacteria transferred to the patient and the prevalence of surgical infections.
the problem
Inadequate sterilization procedures increase the risk of infection and can be seen in low-income countries. The diversity of autoclave models in low resource areas means that a method of monitoring temperature and pressure for a variety of different autoclaves is necessary.
OUR SOLUTION
Our proposed autoclave tester will monitor the temperature and pressure inside of the autoclave in real time using sensors connected to an Arduino microcontroller.
An LCD and series of indicator lights will be used to communicate the status of the autoclave and alert the user in the event that pressure drops below the threshold pressure or temperature.
Using an Arduino and basic sensors, our device will be much simpler and cost significantly less than the market price of autoclave sensors.
Figure 1: Finished Prototype
Figure 2: Pressure Evaluation
