Medical

Thinklabs offers a high-tech take on the stethoscope

Thinklabs offers a high-tech take on the stethoscope
The One digital stethoscope
The One digital stethoscope
View 2 Images
The One digital stethoscope
1/2
The One digital stethoscope
Using the Thinklabs Stethoscope app, doctors are able to make and then selectively filter audio recordings in order to better listen for specific conditions
2/2
Using the Thinklabs Stethoscope app, doctors are able to make and then selectively filter audio recordings in order to better listen for specific conditions

Not unlike the fire hydrant, the humble stethoscope is a device that has remained mostly unchanged for quite a long time. Colorado-based Thinklabs Medical, however, is out to change that. The company recently announced its One digital stethoscope, that can electronically amplify chest sounds by over 100x, and analyze that audio via a smartphone app.

The One's chestpiece features a simple electronic display indicating battery life, volume and frequency. Utilizing its standard 3.5-mm headphone jack, users can plug in a set of phones of their choice, although the standard package does include a set of earbuds. The headphone jack also serves as the battery-charging port, with one or two charges of the lithium-ion battery (via a USB charger) being required per week, depending on the amount of use.

Using the Thinklabs Stethoscope app (iOS, Android, Mac or PC), doctors are able to make and then selectively filter audio recordings in order to better listen for specific conditions. They can also slow down and isolate specific sounds, or share recordings with other physicians.

Using the Thinklabs Stethoscope app, doctors are able to make and then selectively filter audio recordings in order to better listen for specific conditions
Using the Thinklabs Stethoscope app, doctors are able to make and then selectively filter audio recordings in order to better listen for specific conditions

Utilizing the company's separate iMurmur app, users can additionally listen to sample recordings of different types of heart murmurs, and even compare those with recordings of their own patients. The hard-wired Thinklink bridging device is required to hook the One up to a mobile device or computer, and is included with the stethoscope.

The One can be ordered now, for an introductory price of US$499. A deluxe package including a set of Beats headphones is priced at $799.

Source: Thinklabs via medGadget

2 comments
2 comments
Rann Xeroxx
Posted this link to my FB for my wife who's a nurse. She's a bit old school though but personally I would totally buy this if I was in the medical field. I wonder if you can hook it up to a iPad Mini?
3HullsRbest
My wife got one several years ago. I spoke to him then about a bluetooth app. He was not ready.