An open-source stethoscope that costs between $2.5 and $5 to produce

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00x54MUR41 about 5 hours ago 45 commentsRead Article on github.com

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Discussion (45 Comments)Read Original on HackerNews

stronglikedan•about 3 hours ago

The thing is that I can get just as good if not better ones (metal) for $7 all day long, and not have to spend time sourcing and assembling materials, and I don't even have to leave my house to do it.

dieselgate•about 1 hour ago

Respectfully, as this is HN, I do not believe that is the purpose of the posted Github repository.

bluGill•about 2 hours ago

I'm not sure what you are buying, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were done in a factory that does medical grade quality control. While the odds are a medical problem from a non-medical grade stethoscope seem low, it still seems a couple bucks is worth the price. (if we are talking thousands I'd ask for a deeper drive into what that really gets you)

colinbartlett•about 4 hours ago

I was shocked to see that a "brand name" stethoscope is $100+ and even generic ones are $30.

jcims•about 3 hours ago

I'm shocked that you're shocked lol.

$100 for a somewhat specialized, durable medical device that has to meet regulatory standards and will be used daily, possibly for years, by healthcare providers to do patient assessments?

A 3D printed option is going to require a 3D printer, appropriate filament and should be unit tested to ensure it's within spec. The durability is going to be suspect no matter what. It's an awesome project and I'm sure would be a welcome addition to the 'boostrap humanity' catalog of 3D printed parts, but for everyday doctors plunking a hundo on a good tool is going to be a no-brainer.

duskwuff•about 1 hour ago

> $100 for a somewhat specialized, durable medical device...

And one which is treated as a status symbol, at that. Part of the reason a good stethoscope costs more is because it looks nicer, not just because it works better.

nomel•about 1 hour ago

> has to meet regulatory standards

Genuinely curious, what standards exactly, for a stethoscope?

sonofhans•about 2 hours ago

Years ago I had my blood pressure taken by a nurse; this was when they did it manually, squeezing the pressure cuff bulb by hand and listening with a stethoscope. The doctor came in later, saw the numbers and frowned, and took my pressure again. She (both were women) ended up with a reading much more within my normal range.

I asked, joking, “So are you just better than her?” “No,” my doctor replied, “She’s better. She gets more practice. I have a better stethoscope.”

Lalabadie•about 1 hour ago

The pressure cuff + stethoscope combo is called a sphygmomanometer. It's a pretty fascinating piece of technology: A heartbeat is only audible in the earpiece when the cuff is compressing between someone's systolic and diastolic pressure.

To use it, you get the cuff pressure high enough that you stop hearing a heartbeat in the earpiece. Start releasing pressure slowly. As it comes down, take note of where on the dial you start hearing the heartbeat. That's systolic pressure. Keep listening, and take note of where you stop hearing the heartbeat. That's diastolic pressure.

Using one feels kind of magic.

devilbunny•about 1 hour ago

And if you use a mercury sphygmomanometer, you can actually see those pulses appear and then disappear. (It's harder to see them with a gauge-based one.)

nomel•about 1 hour ago

Or, maybe you have "white coat syndrome" [1]. This is closely related to "pretty lady syndrome".

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_coat_hypertension

donaltroddyn•about 3 hours ago

They can become a lot more expensive than $100, but the difference between a Littman Cardiology and the $15 EMT student stethoscope is night and day.

> Currently, the stethoscope resulting from this project functions as well as the market gold standard, the Littmann Cardiology III

If this is true, it's a major achievement.

Lalabadie•about 2 hours ago

My daughter's toy stethoscope has actual tubing, some sort of diaphragm, and that seems to work reasonably well!

I'm not surprised good results are available for a few dollars.

boelboel•about 2 hours ago

People buying stethoscopes tend to be reasonably affluent. Some of the pricier ones just look better and people usually buy them when you get into med school (at least this was the case for me), it's somewhat symbolic so why not splurge.

matheusmoreira•about 2 hours ago

There does seem to be a difference in quality though. It's much easier to hear the important things with my littman than with the cheap generic stethoscopes I usually find lying around in clinics.

elAhmo•about 3 hours ago

It is somewhat of a critical tool, so you don't wanna be checked by a doctor who made their own stethoscope or got one for 3 USD on AliExpress.

NewsaHackO•about 2 hours ago

It’s funny, most physicians agree that the cheap disposable stethoscopes in isolation rooms are the best, mostly because they are so loud it’s difficult miss anything with them. However, I am not a cardiologist so they may have a different opinion.

classichasclass•about 2 hours ago

I've actually found them pretty terrible. I can't hear subtle findings at all with those. My usual stethoscope is an older-model Littman Cardiology III with stiff rubber and a dual pediatric-adult head. I've had it for over 25 years.

recursivegirth•about 3 hours ago

Our one that DIY'd one like one would do a dosing rod in their garage.

DoctorOetker•about 1 hour ago

Well-formed sentence one dosed for make benefit understandability not garage DIY'd one?

Written on ether?

deknos•about 3 hours ago

You probably pay for tests and that the company has to be audited for medical diagnostics standards

unsupp0rted•about 3 hours ago

Is that a lot or a little?

hungryhobbit•about 3 hours ago

This "recipe" produces them for $5 ... that's 5% of the market price.

mikeyouse•about 3 hours ago

Assuming equivalent capabilities and longevity.. I know physicians who have used their "20x too expensive" Littmann for 30 years.

Agingcoder•about 3 hours ago

À lot

abdullahkhalids•about 2 hours ago

What's the price per use compared to a standard industrial metal one?

samantha_greene•about 3 hours ago

No pictures? Missed opportunity. Seems cool though!

bradrn•about 3 hours ago

The linked paper has some pictures: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193087

esc861•about 3 hours ago

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure?id=10.1371/...

Modified3019•about 3 hours ago

Do the design and materials take into account how well it can be sterilized?

classichasclass•about 2 hours ago

I regularly wipe my stethoscope, but I have never sterilized it. I doubt many would survive an autoclave.

zabzonk•about 3 hours ago

Never seen a UK doctor or nurse attempt to clean, much les sterilize, one.

jwcacces•about 3 hours ago

There are disposable, single-patient stethoscopes, but I've seen my Dr do a casual wipe with an alcohol swab often enough...

xyzzy_plugh•about 3 hours ago

I think this is a good point, insofar that how bacterial resistant the stethoscope is relevant. Stethoscopes made of stainless steel are going to beat anything 3d printed by a significant margin.

bsza•about 2 hours ago

It definitely doesn’t help that prints from filament printers are very porous, 100% infill or not. Maybe sealing it with epoxy after printing would help?

matheusmoreira•about 2 hours ago

The usual procedure is to wipe with 70% ethyl alcohol.

jader201•about 3 hours ago

Instructional video: https://youtu.be/u-KNTc0POLA

brcmthrowaway•about 3 hours ago

Are sthethoscopes passive or active devices?

matheusmoreira•about 2 hours ago

It's basically a tube that transmits sound waves from a diaphragm to your ears. Pretty much an extension of your own ears.

Nowadays they do make electronic models. Active enough, I suppose. Can even record sounds.

kfarr•about 3 hours ago

passive