Development of a Low-Cost Automated Urine Dipstick Analyser for Antenatal Screening in Yobe State

Urine dipstick testing for protein and glucose is a routine component of antenatal care screening, but subjective visual interpretation of colour pad reactions by health workers in Yobe State introduces significant variability and error in gestational diabetes and preeclampsia screening. This study develops a low-cost automated urine dipstick reader for objective quantitative interpretation of urine dipstick tests at antenatal clinics in Yobe State. The reader uses a white LED illumination source, a TCS3200 colour sensor array, and an Arduino Mega microcontroller to capture reflected colour intensities from each reagent pad of a standard twelve-parameter dipstick strip inserted into a custom-designed strip holder. A look-up table algorithm maps measured RGB colour values to semi-quantitative concentration result categories for each analyte parameter, calibrated against standard reference solutions at known analyte concentrations. Results are displayed on a 2.8-inch colour LCD with clearly labelled positive and negative result indicators. Total fabrication cost was below eight thousand naira per unit. Analytical validation comparing automated reader results with reference laboratory wet chemistry methods on fifty urine samples confirmed sensitivity of 94 percent and specificity of 91 percent for proteinuria detection and sensitivity of 89 percent and specificity of 95 percent for glycosuria detection. A usability study at an antenatal clinic in Damaturu, Yobe State, showed significantly reduced result recording time compared to visual reading and positive midwife acceptability ratings. The study recommends extended clinical validation and durability testing before mass deployment. Keywords: urine dipstick analyser, antenatal screening, colour sensor, preeclampsia, Yobe State.