A fluid dispensing system provides a non-contact method of monitoring the
change in the fluid volume over time. This approach avoids the use of
probes or sensors that come into direct contact with the fluid to be
dispensed. The system comprises an apparatus comprising three chambers.
The first chamber has a fixed volume and contains a pressurized gas. A
solenoid valve is used to control the flow of gas from the first chamber
into the second. The second chamber is sealed so that the combined mass
of air in the first and second chambers remains fixed. The third chamber
is adjacent to the second and contains medication in the form of
incompressible fluid that is to be administered to a human or animal
subject via a suitable delivery port. A piston is disposed between the
second and third chambers and is movable responsive to the flow of gas
into the second chamber to dispense fluid from the third chamber as
desired. By sensing the pressure in the first and second chambers at any
point in time, a processor is programmed to calculate the flow rate or
dispensed volume of the fluid being delivered using principles derived
from the Ideal Gas Law.