Air embolism caused by undetected air bubbles in intravenous (IV) lines poses a critical risk in medical treatments, necessitating accurate and reliable detection systems. This study addresses this challenge by developing a novel metamaterial-based sensor for real-time monitoring of air bubbles in IV channels. The sensor employs a Single Negative Complementary Split Square Resonator (CSSR) coupled with a polymer-based microfluidic channel (PMC) to detect dielectric changes caused by air bubbles in flowing saline. Unlike traditional optical or ultrasonic methods, the proposed sensor offers a compact, cost-effective, and fabrication-friendly solution while maintaining high sensitivity of 78% and precision. Experimental validation demonstrated its capability to detect even small air bubbles, with resonant frequency shifts observed between 6.6 GHz and 6.9 GHz. This innovation provides a robust tool for enhancing patient safety by preventing air embolisms, with potential applications in broader biomedical sensing scenarios. By addressing a critical medical need through advanced metamaterial technology, this work contributes significantly to both healthcare monitoring and sensor design.

Ahmad M, Islam MT, Alam T, Albadran S, Alzamil A, Alshammari AS, Alsaif H, Soliman MS, Islam MS. Coupled split square resonator based metamaterial sensor for realtime monitoring of air bubbles in IV channels. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 18;15(1):13453. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98245-z. PMID: 40251230; PMCID: PMC12008186.