Stemoscope — a wireless wonder for virtual check ups
SOUNDS can tell back memories.
Remember how Adele singing on full volume through your headphones eased your broken heart? And anyone who has ever been on a soul- searching, solo vacation at a beach knows how the sound of waves can calm the mind.
But sound has a more practical use on the side of science. Scientists can use it to measure distance, for instance. Doctors use their stethoscope to listen to the sounds inside your body, so that they can make valid, medical diagnoses. stories and bring
Sound is a tool.
This is the idea behind the Stemoscope, a trailblazing healthcare device that allows a user to detect a wide range of sounds. Think of it like a stethoscope, but a more compact, and handy version.
The device, which is no bigger than a stethoscope’s head (38 mm in diameter, 11 mm thick), can be used by doctors for distance auscultations. It transmits the sounds to a smartphone, which then processes, amplifies and sends the sounds to the doctor’s Bluetooth earphones or wired earphones in real time.
While doctors still prefer to use the classic stethoscope, a Stemoscope can be a good supplement, most especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of many.
“As doctors, we felt the urgent need to innovate. So many of our healthcare workers have lost their lives to the pandemic,” laments Dr. Jastisse “Jast” Arnaldo Tejada 3rd, a cardiologist and general manager of SGMC Medical Equipment Importer Marketing and Services. His company brought the Stemoscope technology into the country.
“We needed to keep our doctors safe by improving the doctor’s primary weapon, the stethoscope, but without compromising the quality of care that we give our patients. Stemoscope was the solution.”
The best thing about Stemoscope is that it’s designed for distance auscultation, which ultimately minimizes a doctor’s risk of exposure to a possible Covid-19 positive patient.
“Healthcare workers can now assess a patient from a safe distance of two meters,” says Dr. Jast. “Imagine the smallest stethoscope in the world with very huge features. It’s so compact you can put it inside your purse or pocket, like a Dr. James Bond!”
The nifty part is that the sounds that the app detects can be recorded and saved on your smartphone. This is especially useful for immunocompromised individuals who need to go to the hospital for regular checkups.
“Patients can send their recorded auscultations to their doctors via email, Viber or Messenger app, from anywhere in the Philippines. This way, they’re also helping stop the spread of Covid- 19 because they’re staying right at home.”
Ultimately, Stemoscope is meant for STEM ( science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. A professor, for instance, may use it as an educational tool in subjects where auscultatory sounds are relevant.
Durable and lightweight, Stemoscope can also be used to record important moments for posterity: The sound of
This awesome gadget acts like a ‘wireless' stethoscope, can record your heart rate, a baby's heartbeat, and in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, can help save the lives of healthcare workers.
Stemoscope's Dr. Jastisse “Jast” Arnaldo Tejada 3rd (2nd from right) and Leonel Oliveros (rightmost) turned over the purchased units to PGH Medical Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi (2nd from left) and transplant surgeon Dr. Dennis Serrano (leftmost) on June 23.
your baby’s heartbeat while you’re pregnant, your awesome heart rate after an hour of an intense workout, or your pet’s heartbeat. You can even use Stemoscope to listen to the sound of a tree “drinking” water — if you’re curious like that.
Numerous local physicians have given Stemoscope their seal of approval, including doctors who have been directly dealing with Covid-19 positive patients at the Philippine General Hospital.
But the best, most heart-warming feedback, according to Dr. Jast, came from one of his patients.
“He told me, ‘Hi Doc Jast. Thank you natanggap Stemoscope. Big help for us, kasilahatpokamidito mayhika. We can now easily update our doctors without going out of the house specially at this time of pandemic.’
“I’m glad that this gadget is making a huge difference in people’s lives.”
This wireless wonder is easily available to the public via Lazada, Stemoscope Ph on Facebook and stemoscope.com.ph.
With all the chaos that is happening around us, a simple sound could be all it takes to make our day a little bit better, brighter.