DEVELOPMENT OF A SMART SCALE FOR DAILY FLUID INTAKE AND TOTAL BODY FLUID MONITORING IN THE ELDERLY

Abstract

This research aims to design and build a weighing scale equipped with features for monitoring daily fluid needs and total body fluid in the elderly. This device is specifically designed to help the elderly monitor their fluid intake independently to prevent dehydration and improve their quality of life. The system uses an Arduino Mega 2560 R3 microcontroller, with a 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen display, and a weight measurement range of 30–100 kg and height of 120–180 cm. The research method used is design and development with stages of planning, creation, testing, and data analysis. The accuracy testing shows that the device is capable of measuring body weight with a satisfactory level of accuracy, as well as calculating daily fluid needs based on the Holiday-Segar formula and total body fluid based on the Watson formula. The analysis results on the device show that it functions well, with the weight sensor accuracy from the comparison with the weighing scale being 99.97%, the distance sensor accuracy from the comparison with the measuring tape being 99.67%, and the accuracy of the Holiday-Segar formula calculation being 99.81% and the Watson formula for men being 99.94% and for women being 99.86%. From the research results, it can be shown that this tool is effective as an aid for monitoring the health of the elderly, providing accurate and practical information, and supporting efforts to prevent dehydration among the elderly in the community.