The stethoscope is a device used for listening to sounds produced by the body. Specifically the heart, lungs, intestines, and blood flow through arteries and veins. It is also used to listen to the sounds from a developing fetus.
The stethoscope can also be used to detect leaks in plumbing, listen for rodents in walls, automotive diagnostics, vacuum leaks, remote listening and recording, or as a hearing aid.
Be certain you understand the system requirements before purchasing. Read instructions below on how to use your iPhone or iPod touch as a stethophone.
Best results are achieved with an iPhone. You can achieve good results with the iPod touch 2nd generation using an external microphone, but extreme care is required.
Features
- Record
- Playback
- Annotate - keep written notes about the recording
- Amplify up to 32 times
- Fine tune volume
- Track multiple patients or projects
Other uses
- Fetoscope (fetal stethoscope)
- Mechanics stethoscope
- Leak detection (plumbing, vacuum)
- Hearing aid
- Remote listening and recording
- Tax deduction (deduct your iPhone as a medical tool :)
- Telemedicine
- Remote diagnosis and teaching
System Requirements
- Headphones or earbuds
- iPod touch requires an external microphone
Instructions (iPhone)
1. Connect external headphones or earbuds
- The headphones or earbuds must NOT have an integrated mic
2. Press the iPhones mic directly against the subjects skin near the heart.
3. Touch the "Listen" button
4. Carefully increase the amplification.
- Highest recommended setting is 8x
- Fine tune amplification using the volume slider
5. Move the mic to locate the heartbeat
6. After locating the heartbeat, increase amplification as desired.
7. To record, turn off listening ("Stop"), then press "Rec"
8. Press "Stop" to stop recording.
Notes:
- The iPhones mic is located on the base of the device; next to the USB connector.
- With care, you can hear and record the heartbeat and the swoosh of blood flowing through the heart
- Live monitoring allows you to listen to the heartbeat while recording.
Instruction (iPod touch)
- Follow instruction for iPhone.
- Use an external mic
- Note: External microphones on the iPod touch are not as sensitive as the iPhones built-in mic. We have been unable to achieve the same quality recordings using an iPod touch.