The world’s first highly intelligent intravenous (IV) line will now curb medical errors. Up to 61% of all life–threatening errors during hospitalization are associated with IV drug therapy. Errors include incorrect dosage, unintentional substitution of one drug for another and co–delivery of incompatible drugs.

Today, computerized smart systems can deliver drugs intravenously in exact volumes to hospital patients.

But these systems cannot recognize which medications are in the tubing nor can they determine the concentration of the drug. This lack of precise information can lead to medication errors with serious consequences.

Now, a new optical device developed by a team of electrical and computer engineering students at the University of Illinois can identify the contents of the fluid in an intravenous (IV) line in real–time, offering a promising way to improve the safety of IV drug delivery. Early data show the new intelligent IV line system can identify medications including morphine, methadone, phenobarbital, the sedative promethazine and mitoxantrone used to treat multiple sclerosis.