Intelligent IoT-based monitoring system for biological sample management

Assane Diouf, Abou Abdallah Malick Diouara, Pape Abdoulaye Fam, Idy Diop

In biomedical research, biobanks are essential tools for collecting and storing bio-logical samples, providing researchers with valuable data such as medical histories or genetic profiles, which are crucial for personalized medicine. The management and monitoring of these biobanks represent a major challenge, particularly in developing countries such as Senegal, where resources and infrastructure are often limited. Continuous and strict monitoring of storage conditions is important for Senegalese biobanks. This monitoring is usually done with built-in thermometers and relies on manual checks and daily temperature reports. However, these methods also expose samples to risks of human error, data loss, and late detection of abnormal storage conditions. Recording data in laboratory logs complicates the centralization and rapid access to information related to our bioresources. This article proposes to design a smart monitoring system that control biological samples temperature in the biobank. The system uses sensors connected to a microcontroller to continuously measure temperature and transmit data to a local or cloud-based server via Wi-Fi and MQTT protocol. Data is also saved locally on an SD card to prevent losses in the event of network failure. Data visualization is managed by the Node-RED platform, which displays the latest measured temperature and facilitates real-time monitoring. A real-time alert system has been configured to automatically send emails to the administrator if the temperature exceeds critical thresholds. Thanks to these combined technologies and tools, our system allows for the remote monitoring of our various thermal chambers by visualizing temperature data in real time and recording this data in an electronic file.