Challenges and Advances in Arduino- Enabled Healthcare Information Systems: Systematic Review

Abstract

Arduino is a popular choice for healthcare technology due to its open-source platform and low cost, making it ideal for developing intelligent medical solutions without the high costs of conventional systems. The current studies have largely assessed Arduino capabilities based on specific features rather than thoroughly testing the system's security, technical, and operational aspects. To address these issues, this study uses a Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO)-based SLR that adheres to PRISMA guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute tool to critically evaluate the study's findings. This study collected literature from major databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, covering the period from 2020 to 2024. It identified 216 papers, and only 8 met the PICOS eligibility criteria. The findings reveal that all researchers addressed security aspects, such as basic authentication and privacy, but they neglected cryptographic measures, which remain the weakest point of execution. Encryption, auditability, accountability, and freshness were implemented only once. Integrity, authorization, and third-party protection were rarely applied, and non-repudiation evaluation was minimal. Technical aspects such as accuracy and validation were satisfactory. However, reliability was tested in limited environments, and fault tolerance and robustness were poorly implemented. Operational aspects like cost and sustainability were widely addressed, whereas resilience, availability, and reliability received little attention. Arduino-based medical systems show strong technical promise but remain constrained by major security and operational gaps, limiting their readiness for real-world health settings.