Acoustical design of digital stethoscope for improved performance

Stethoscopes are in use for more than 200 years for medical diagnostics, especially for auscultation in the healthcare domain. Recently, unprecedented growth in mobile technology has revived the use of stethoscopes for Telehealthcare. Digital or electronic stethoscopes are increasingly researched for use in Telehealthcare within the healthcare domain. Cardiovascular diseases have become highly prevalent worldwide, especially in the subcontinent. Improvements in diagnostics will improve the quality of life and prevent the loss of life. This research paper mainly focuses on the acoustical and multiphysics design aspects of the stethoscope for improved acoustical performance. A COMSOL model of the stethoscope chest piece was developed. The model was setup to investigate the effects of geometry, material of construction, noise and input pressure. The sound transmission efficiency of the components was investigated with multiphysics models by coupling the acoustical and structural performances. The effect of ambient noise on the performance was also studied and reported. This COMSOL model wasis further used to investigate the effects of shape, size and material parameters on the performance and improvement in the acoustic transmission and noise isolation. The frequency response of the system was also investigated for resonance and performance in relation to auscultation of cardio, lung and other sounds. Through this research paper the researchers share the initial findings for the development of acoustical and multiphysics design aspects of the stethoscope. The ultimate objective is to leverage the improvement in the acoustics of the stethoscope for use in Telehealthcare