Peecheck 2.0: Design and Improvement of Rapid and Low-Cost Urine Analysis Device for Rural Health Care

The research paper introduced improvements to PeeCheck, a portable urine analyzer, addressing the need for versatile, rapid, and low-cost urine analysis tools, particularly in resource-constrained rural healthcare settings. The focus was on evaluating the accuracy and speed of reading the urine strip and the electrical characteristics of the portable urine analyzer device across various parameters. PeeCheck 2.0 represented enhancements in medical diagnostics using urine as a non-invasive sample. By incorporating the integration of technologies such as versatility in using variations of urine strips and data cloud storage using the Raspberry Pi Pico W microcontroller, PeeCheck 2.0 was designed to analyze 14 colorimetric urine characteristics, aiding in the pre-diagnostic of health issues associated with kidney and metabolic-related diseases. The study evaluated PeeCheck 2.0's performance through the analysis of urine samples collected from 3rd- and 4th-year electrical engineering students and compared the results with those obtained from standard laboratory urinalysis. The findings highlighted PeeCheck 2.0's potential to enhance health outcomes and reduce healthcare disparities in rural communities by providing healthcare providers with a low-cost and reliable solution for rapid detection and addressing health concerns in areas with limited resources. The study findings demonstrated that PeeCheck 2.0 achieved significant accuracy and speed in analyzing urine samples across 10 colorimetric parameters compared to standard laboratory methods. PeeCheck 2.0 obtained an overall accuracy of 92.470 percent in its analyses. Results from the evaluation with urine samples collected from electrical engineering students showed a high correlation with laboratory urinalysis, validating PeeCheck 2.0's efficacy in detecting key indicators of kidney and metabolic-related diseases. However, continuous programming-based calibration optimized PeeCheck 2.0 by adjusting parameters in real-time with data and sensor feedback, ensuring consistent accuracy and reliability in urine parameter testing. This research underscored PeeCheck 2.0's role in advancing medical diagnostics through innovation in urine analysis technology, contributing to improved healthcare delivery and outcomes in rural and underserved communities.