Anyone who's ever been to the doctor is familiar with the stethoscope, a device that allows doctors to listen to heartbeats and pulmonary sounds for examination and diagnosis. These sounds are for doctor's hearing only, but that may change with the approval of the Eko Core.
The Core is a "smart stethoscope" developed by Eko Devices, a startup company based in Silicon Valley, and has just been recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical use and distribution.
The Core is a small portable digital device that can be conveniently inserted into the traditional stethoscope. It improves the quality of the loudness of the sound such as the heartbeat through its audio filter that prevents any ambient noise. Then it streams the sound to the smartphone or tablet through Bluetooth LE technology. The doctor then has the option to store the sound files for reference, access it anytime, and even share the sound to the patients through the audio playback feature of its corresponding app.
Eventually, the file can be added to the patient's electronic health or medical record and shared with other health care professionals. To ensure the patient's confidentiality, the device is designed to be HIPAA compliant.
The Core can also be easily converted into analog through its seamless design and has a battery life of 9 hours or equivalent to more than a week of continued use.
Now available for only $199, it is more ideal for Littman stethoscopes and doesn't work in double-tubed ones. It is currently compatible with iPhone and iPad devices while the team is working on its Android version.
The device opens huge opportunities in health care, especially in treatment of heart disorders, which remain to be the top killer disease in the world. It can promote collaboration among top doctors around the globe as well as provides a more accurate diagnosis and customized treatment for patients.
